Survival!
by Rainstorm Sonata
Summary: Old teams are sent home and new teams are forged as Players and Avatars prepare for the beginning of the end. PLEASE R&R!
1. Emerald Allies

_So... Haven't done something in a while. That's what summer's for, though, isn't it? _

_NOTE(S):__  
- I put a ton of effort in making the teams, and I'm sorry to say a lot of SSBM character have been taken out to put in characters I like more, IE Saria and Crystal.  
__- Sometimes I'll spell "Ferah" "Ferrah".  
__- I do not own SSBM._

XXX  
Chapter One: Emerald Allies  
XXX

"We're late...." Whined Farah, gripping the leather seats of the car. She winded down the window, peered out at the New York traffic, frowned, and then closed the tinted window. She rubbed her eye. "I don't know how these people can stand this."

"Just think of it as a big-city experience." Said her brother coolly from the driver's seat, adjusting his rear-view mirror so he could see his younger sister. He would have plenty of time to fix it when the idiots in front of him decide to slowly inch forward.

Farah was a fragile half-Chinese, half-British girl, raised in America her entire life. She had lived with her twin older brothers Dameon and Van for most of her life, and with her aunt, whom she looked plenty alike. They all had very dark black-brown hair, with fair skin and large green eyes. At the moment she wore a pink t-shirt, and her favorite faded black jeans that clung lightly to her hips.

Dameon sighed and pushed the pedal softly, moving forward just a little more, although the car in front of him refused to move. Ferah pulled her Walkman out from her bag and adjusted her headphones so they didn't interfere with her hair.

"I'll be fine, really." Rushed Farah, looking over her brother's back as he gave her one of his formidable rib-smashing hugs. She was at least half-an-hour late.

He finally released her from his clench, allowing her to catch her breath and readjust her shirt. "Do you have your cellphone?" He asked.

"When do I not?" She replied simply.

"Right, right, of course." He stepped back and smiled, gleaming at his little sister. "E-Mail me or text me often, especially if anything goes wrong." He rubbed her head affectionately. Farah nodded, fixing her hair. Because her Aunt was a drunk and her parents were dead, Dameon had stepped in to become her father.

"Good luck, and I'll see you in a few weeks." He walked back to the car.

"And don't forget Fern!" Yelled Ferrah after him. She picked up her suitcase carefully, and tottered over to the hotel lobby.

"Hello? Uh, hello?" Said Ferah, as people rushed by, trying to catch the attention of the thin woman at the desk. She looked down over her nose, which was shaped like a broken fishing rod.

"Who are you?" The lady asked, impatiently. She had the phone balanced on her right shoulder.

"I'm... Ferah Fell." Ferah said, feeling like a kid lost at Cosco. "I'm here because I won the contest..."

"Ah?" The phone rang again, and she pressed a button to link to the other line, waving her hand at the girl. "You're late. Go sit over there." She pointed to a lonely chair under a potted fig. Ferah grabbed her stuff and sat down.

The wait seemed to last forever. Ferah watched the clock on the other side of the room helplessly. Had the woman forgotten her? Ferah looked around. The hotel was slowing down, as it was rapidly heading for nightfall. However, the lady was still busy, talking on the phone, pressing the button, talking, pressing, talking, _pressing_. Ferah slumped over and crossed her arms across her chest. A bellboy caught her eye as he walked by, holding a sign with an arrow: UBERSSBM TOURNAMENT THIS WAY.

She stood up instantly, glad to do something. "Hey, um, where did get that?" She asked. The man pointed over to a corner, which lead down a hall. "Thank you." Said Ferah, bowing slightly, and tugging her baggage as she headed for the hall.

The hall, like the rest of the hotel, was all golden with mirrors, with red carpets and marble on the floors, and ferns and figs in pots lining the walls. She didn't know how far to go to find the meeting room, but she assumed it had to be one of the ones with the double doors. She let go of her luggage and knocked on the closest door on her right. "Hullo?" She asked.

A boy opened the door, a little younger than herself. He had oily brown hair that was pulled back with glasses that were sliding off his nose. He skin was whiter than sand. "Uh... hi." He said, looking her over. Farah took a peek behind him, at a whole network of computer systems. "What?" He asked, a little more impatient.

"Oh... well... There is this contest that I won... and I think I have to meet some people..." Said Ferah distractedly. Was this kid supposed to be playing in this room? Some of the computers were open.

"Oh! Yeah, I know what you're talking about." He said, watching her as she leaned into the room rudely. "That's down the hall, that way. I think... four doors down." He pointed further left.

Ferah nodded. "Thanks. What's your name?" She said, picking up her luggage case again.

"William. Yours?" He extended his hand.

"Ferah. Thanks, again." She shook his hand. His hand shake was limp. She didn't bother to ask if he was in the competition, she was late enough as it is. He smiled once more and closed the door, and Ferah began tugging at her luggage again.

She found oil on her right hand, and wiped it on her pants.

"Sorry I'm late!" A small African-American boy bowed, maybe only ten or eight. His hair was very short and curly, framing his head. He looked up at a man carrying a clip-board. The man checked his name off with a red pen, then switched it with a black one from his suit pocket.

"It's alright. We're still waiting for another player to arrive." Said the man, clipping the pen to the board so he wouldn't lose it.

"I don't know if we should wait any longer, actually. We're wasting time." Said a man behind the first one. He was much larger, much more formidable. He made the ground quake slightly when he moved, as he did now, standing up from his red-leather chair.

The boy walked over to the crowd of kids.

The clip-board man checked his watch, for the forty- second time in the last hour. "If we start without the last two players, that would make the Teams unfair."

"Yes, but you know NYC traffic. It's worse than Tokyo during the rush hour. They may never get here." The large man rubbed his hair with his hand. "We might just have William take the Avatar. He's always doing nothing anyway. Is it male or female?"

"I think it's a male, Sir. But I don't know, we still need to take roll call."

"Right. Shut the doors, and let's get started." Hirgawa had lost his patience. Time was precious, as he had proved with his overtaking the Nintendo of Japan and America companies.

One of the executives closest to the double doors closed them on command.

The room was boring. The long tables were brown and gray, and the mass of the seats were black leather. Young teenagers littered the walls. Hirogawa had expected they would be shy, because they didn't know each other, but they were full of life, chitchatting with each other like they had been friends the entire summer.

"Ahem." The man cleared his throat. A few of the crowd looked up, but most continued talking amongst their genders. "AHEM." He said again. This attracted enough of the crowd to begin, or as much he could get without using force.

"Hello. I am glad that you all got here safely. I am Mr. Hirogawa, the official president of the Nintendo. I would like to welcome you to the UberSSBM game premiere and testing competition." He said loudly, standing front and center.

A hush fell over the kids as excitement overtook them.

"It seems that one of our members have not shown up, so we will go ahead and begin. But first, we will take a roll call to assign seats. Your name is your first, and for legal reasons, your assigned character is your last name. You will sit at the table assigned to your team. All of you have been arranged into teams that will play as your allies for the first week. Two Teams out of five will be dropped from the competition, and then you will be reassigned into Trinities. Two more Trinities will be dropped, and from then on battles will take place Individually. But more details when you are seated." He sat back down, as his assistant moved forward with the clip-board and black and red pen in hand.

"The table to the far left belongs to the Ruby Team. In the Ruby Team..." He began.

"Ryan Mario." A dark-haired, dark–eyed boy tilted his head up. The executive put a black check mark next to his name as Ryan moved towards the table. "Ryan here is team captain." The executive said. Ryan grinned.

"Madison Dragonair." Madison was tall and skinny. Her hair was long too, a very pale blonde. She took a seat by Ryan.

"Cassandra Zelda." A blonde girl smiled mischievously and took her seat.

"Alex Falco." A boy with dark blonde and brown curls didn't even glance at the man as he took his seat.

"And Nick Kirby." A smiling, pink-faced boy took a seat near Alex.

"The Sapphire Team takes the second table to the left. Trent Marth, who is Captain."

"Is that Trent Williams?"  
The executive leaned forward. "We are not supposed to use family-given names."  
"But he's famous - "  
"Trent Williams..."  
"Oh, I've heard of him!"  
"Harry Potter!?"  
"Didn't he win the America SSBM competition?"  
"_Every one_?"

Trent was a confident looking boy with short black curls. He sat all the way back in his chair, his shoulders broadly spread as his arms lay on the arm rests. His long fingers curled around the edges. It was surprising how he didn't bask in the glory.

"Mischa-"

There was a soft knock at the door. At first, no one answered, but a man that was standing near a potted fig stepped forward. Mr. Hirogawa nodded, and the man went to open the door as the knocking began more persistent.

"I know someone's in there." Said a muffled voice arrogantly. "I heard talking."

"Ah." Said Hirogawa to the crowd. "That must be the last player."

The executive opened the door, and Farrah slowly glided in.

The room was square and full of kids, probably ages 10-18, estimated Farrah. The majority were clumped against the wall, but there were others seated at tables. She looked up at a large man, who was at the head of the third table. Everyone was watching her.

"Um... hi. Is this the UberSSBM room?" She said quietly at particularly no one, as she let go of her luggage handle and readjusted her bag strap. She didn't know what she was supposed to do. Was she supposed to have something? Van had explained some things, but not everything, muddled by first his excitement, then his medicine.

The assistant closed it behind her. "Yes, it is. You must be our last Player." He looked at Hirogawa, for his assumptions of her gender had been wrong. But he was sure...

"Yes, I must be from the look of things..." Farrah stood, frozen, as everyone was examined her. There were at least two dozen pairs of eyes watching her.

"Alright." A man stepped forward and took her luggage out of the room. "Please join the others at that wall." He pointed to the crowd. She walked over quietly, to the edge, behind the majority of the crowd, and laid her back against the wall, trying to look casual.

"It's okay." Something tugged at her sleeve. "I was late too." It was a young boy. He smiled and stood up next to her.

"Continuing the Sapphire Team... Mischa Peach." A girl beamed her smile and took a seat next to Trent.

"Amanda Ruto."

"Jordan Charizard." A red-orange haired boy with ear-length hair took a seat next to Amanda. He kept looking at Trent, like a paparazzi would look at the Julia Roberts if she _wasn't_ pregnant and _was_ in a bathing suit.

It was taking Farah a little while to realize why these people had such strange last names, but she realized it when 'Jordan Charizard' was called. She had played Pokemon, once, a very long time ago.

"And Katrina Crystal."

"Moving on to The Emerald Team. They will sit at Mr. Hirogawa's table. Kaze Fox, who is captain."

A tall boy right in front of Farah moved forward. He was quite tall, and his hair much darker than her own. He wore a dark blue sweater, and black pants, as well as black shoes. His hands, under his sleeves, were clenched. As he moved, Farah noticed a short silver chain around his neck.

"Aaron Link." A boy with straight blonde hair looked up. He had been fiddling with his Jansport backpack. He took a seat next to Kaze. They both stared at each other in silence, then turned away to see who would be on their team.

"Van Roy." Farah moved up on cue.

"What are you doing?" Asked a girl next to her.

"I'm here to take the place of Van." Farah said, looking at the assistant, who, like everyone else in the room, was obviously thinking the same thing. "I'm his sister. He was unable to come." She continued, her voice wavering.

"What is his reason?" Mr. Hirogawa asked, leaning.

"Uh, can't we speak of this privately?" She said, trying to sound strong.

"Yes, of course. Go ahead and take his spot for now." He laid back again. Another executive whispered something in his ear. After he was done he watched for reaction. Mr Hirogawa merely nodded, and the executive went back to his position.

All eyes were on Ferah as she moved to the table. She had known what to do after watching others. Now everyone was watching her, not because they didn't know what to do, but because they wanted to know why she was here. Why didn't they mind her own business? It didn't concern them. She took a seat next to Aaron. Aaron smiled, and she smiled back weakly.

"Selena Daisy." Selena moved out of the crowd. She had her black GBA SP in hand, which she closed the screen of and pocketed in the zipper pockets of her black capris. She was beautiful, with long lashes guarding bright blue eyes. Her dark hair was blonde, and her skin very tan and flawless. She smiled at Ferah, noticing she had been watching her as she took her seat. Ferah gave her hair a finger comb.

"And Dominick, G-a-W." The small boy that had spoken to Ferah before moved forward, and took a seat next to Selena. He smiled and waved vigorously, and Ferah could do nothing but give a timid wave back.

The table was full. So far, everyone in the Emerald Team had responded nicely to her, except for the one known as Kaze. He didn't even glance at her, or any of the others, besides Aaron. His presence seemed faint and cold. She hoped he wouldn't become and obstacle for her.

"The Topaz Team is at this table." He pointed at the second to the right. "Team Captain is Bruce Bowser." Bruce was a large boy with a crew cut. He took a seat in his chair and smiled from the glory of his position.

"Claire Nana." A little girl, not a lot younger than Dominick looked up, her short hair in poking pigtails, and took a seat next to Bruce. She was short, and her feet didn't reach the ground. Claire curiously looked up at big Bruce.

"Alice Saria." A sweet-looking girl flowed over to near Mischa. Mischa seemed relieved that not everyone on her team were so barbarian-like.

"Stephanie Jigglypuff." A girl giggled at took her seat next to Alice. Their eyes met and they smiled, and she repeated the action with Mischa as well. Bruce looked disappointed that three of the five members were girls.

"And Eric Ness." Bruce looked slightly relieved as a Mexican boy took a seat at his left.

"And the last team... the Amythest Team. Karen Samus is Captain."

Karen was very tall and was one of the oldest there. She looked tough, but was obviously containing her anticipation.

Scott 'Luigi' came next, followed by Jess 'Popo', a down-to-earth boy with brown and white hair.

"Victoria Shiek." A girl with glossy dyed-black hair took a seat near Jess, tugging with her a dusty cream-colored pack with pins of her favorite punk bands. "It's Tori." The girl corrected quickly. Madison from the Ruby table, who sat upright and stiffly, gave her a strange look. Victoria clicked her pierced tongue at her indifferently.

"Bridget Pikachu." Finished the roll call. She was young and with frizzled brown-red hair, and braces that made her lips stick out.

"That's it." Said the executive, and stepped back, looking over his clip-board once more, then the crowd, finally organized.

Mr. Hirogawa nodded and stood up, the ground quivering beneath him. "Looks like we're done here." He looked out and met eyes with Ferah, who kept her gaze, but titled her chin downward.

She had little idea what to expect. Van had been really excited to go, often telling her that practicing SSBM on the Gamecube probably wouldn't help, and that it would be a lot tougher. It was some sort of tournament for selected people who entered in a contest online. Ferah thought of Van and suddenly sneezed.

"Bless you." Whispered Selena and Dominick.

Hirogawa continued. "This testing tournament is the premiere for the virtual reality simulation of the SSBM game that came out in 2001. Not only will this new game, which we call UberSSBM, allow you to play as your character in the real world, but also in _their_ virtual world. Your character, or _Avatar_, is accessible at all times your are within the boundaries of New York City. They are also accessible through cellphones, computers, and other selected electronic devices." He took a breath for effect.

Selene covered her mouth with a slender finger and smiled. Dominick looked giddy. Aaron even looked impressed. Kaze, on the other hand, didn't seem too interested. The other tables bubbled.

Ferrah looked around, smiling. Playing as the character in the real world? In a virtual world? Accessible at all times? This wasn't like any other game she had played before. But this was a fighting game... did she have to fight? Her excitement suddenly dropped into fear. She couldn't fight. She was weak and small. But there were small people like Dominick, and skinny people like Madison. Maybe she had a chance. Or maybe she should just rely on them.

"You have been randomly divided into teams. Your team will be your partners during this first week. You will fight and train alongside them. Your team will fight each other team once. How you fight your battles and if you win will decide if you and your team continues on in the tournament."

"Your Avatars have been selected depending on _your_ fighting style, in example, speed, projectile, defense, aerial, or attack. Your Avatar has _intensive_ AI and will follow you like a real person. You will stay in contact with your Avatar by wearing this." He held up a small, stretchy band of black from his pocket. In the middle of the band was a small, silver, smooth box, holding a data chip. Dominick leaned forward for a closer look.

Suddenly, Hirogawa's pants beeped. He pulled out his cellphone and flipped it open. "Excuse me." He said to the crowd as he held his hand over the receiver. He turned around. "What. No, not right now. I'm busy. Later. ...promise." There was a pause. "I've got a lot to do. You'll understand when you get a job." He said harshly, and before receiving a reply, hung up. "Ahem, right." He said, addressing the crowd once more.

He picked back up the band. "You will find one of these in your rooms, where your Avatar awaits you. Saying the password "CYC" will activate your avatar. It is short for "Choose your character". To work and fight best with your Avatar, you should spend time with them and train often. Fighting with your Avatar requires concentration on him or her and using the password 'SURVIVAL'. You will then inherit the abilities, skills, and weapons of your Avatar. The mass of your abilities will increase depending on your Avatar's stats."

She could see people getting really giddy. Aaron looked like he was going to burst.

"The virtual world is dependant on where your Avatar is from. The Mario characters will see each other in Mushroom Kingdom. But if you venture further than your game's borders, you can reach other _Dreamscapes_. Mushroom Kingdom is close to the Kokiri Forest, and not far from Hyrule is Castle Pharae. To move into the virtual world, hook this wire up with the band, like this." He pulled out a cord and inserted it into the side of the silver box on the band. "The other end goes into an electrical outlet."

Farrah looked around. Was she the only one who found this whole explanation thing tiring? She yawned and covered her mouth. She would just have to find out how to do whatever it was when it came time.

Hirogawa continued on about Teams being divided into Trinities, and the Trinities being separated into Individuals as people were eliminated. She didn't know if she'd get that far, no matter how strong her courage. How could she fight alone? But according to Hirogawa, she would never be alone. She would always be fighting with her Avatar.

"Well, that about wraps it up. To review what I said or look more in-depth into this project, I have given each team two disks, also in your room. The disks also hold data about all Avatars and their Players."

Ferah suddenly noticed Kaze looking her way. As soon as he met his face, he turned away, his gaze back at Hirogawa.

"Now you will be led to your rooms. You have until 2 PM Wednesday to train and get used to the system. When the time comes, meet here, and hopefully on time." He looked at Ferrah, then at Dominick. Dominick laughed a little, so carefree.

An executive opened each of the double doors, one by one. Five more went to each table, and kids started recollecting their carry-on bags and standing up. Ferah stood up to follow Kaze, who was on his way.

"Ferah, please see me later after dinner. We need to talk. Don't get too comfy, you may not be permanent."

"Right." Ferah frowned. _I will be in this tournament, and I will win_, she thought stiffly. It's what he wants.

She pulled the watch she refused to wear from her bag. It was ten minutes till four. She pocketed the watch and ran up to Kaze. He didn't say anything, so she walked next to him in silence.

Ferah opened the door with a gold #169 on it. It was an empty family master suite with a table in front of a window, surrounded by two chairs and a couch. Next to it was a large screen TV. She saw two doors on the far wall, separated by the window. The window reached out into a large balcony, overlooking the busy city. Kaze went over to the door on the left, so she went to the door on the right and knocked on it. "Hello?"

"Come in!" Pretty Selena was already unloading her stuff, her hair draped onto her shoulders like silk.

"Uh... hi." Ferah said, as she walked through the doorway. The room was narrow, with two queen–sized beds on her left, and at the back wall, a window and a walk-in closet. A bathroom was on the left as well, that probably linked to the other room.

"Hi. You're Ferah, right? The Roy Player." She put down her hair dryer and walked over, her flip-flops smacking like bubblegum. She was wearing the black band around her slim neck.

Ferah didn't get her band until she met up with Mr. Hirogawa, that is, if he let her into the tournament. The band was in the boy's room, anyway, where her brother had been expected to sleep. At least Selene wasn't the only girl on the team anymore.

Ferah heaved her bag in and shut the door behind her. "Yeah, that's me. And your Selena, the Daisy Player." Ferah dropped her baggage and shook her hand vigorously. Her hand was delicate and silky. When Ferah took back her hand, she sniffed it, smelling lilac. Now she had oil and lilac lotion on her hand.

"Yea, I suppose so." She frowned a little, and whirled over to the open suit-case on her bed, the one furthest from the door.

"Not too happy with your selection?" Ferah asked, as she lifted her bag onto her bed. She dropped her backpack at her feet.

"Well, it's okay, I guess." Said Selena. She took out a stuffed animal of a white bear with a blue ribbon around its neck and tossed it against her pillows. "If she fights like I do, then hopefully she'll keep me alive. It's better than getting an Avatar that I can't concentrate on."

Ferah didn't unload a lot, but did take out her brush to tame her hair. She took out a few pins and rubber bands, and her up-top dropped to her shoulders. "Who did you want to play as?"

Selena stopped examining a halter top she had brought and let it fall back into her suit case. She blushed slightly, and looked at Ferah. "Well, I'm..." she smiled. "I'm a _major_ Pokemon fan. A Pokemaniac." She laughed. "I wanted to be a Pokemon's Player, but they didn't have my favorite Pokemon. Selections are random, anyway." She shrugged.

"Oh..." Ferah said. She didn't understand. Selena looked like someone who would be the most popular girl in school, who didn't give for video games or computers. Ferah smiled. "So, what _is _your favorite Pokemon?"

"I'm quite partial to Bellossom. It's very cute, and it's strong too." She said, smiling. She walked over to the closet and opened it, taking out a hanger and putting on a light blue cardigan with white fluff on the cuffs of the collar and hood.

Ferah moved over to the table in front of the window. The table was circular and had a glass flower vase with cut orchids in it. She dropped her bag on one of the two chairs and took out her cellphone charger, then inserted it into the outlet. She took out her cellphone and checked for messages.

"_Fern is on her way."_ Dameon had sent her a message. She deleted it and closed the cover. "Ah, I think I remember that one." She was thinking of Vileplume.

"So who's _your _favorite?" Selena occupied the other chair.

"Oh... probably Flareon. I've always loved Fire pokemon." Said Ferah. Being next to Selena made her feel really plain and common.

"Well, good thing that Roy's your Avatar, then."

"Yeah well, can you tell me a little about Roy? I really haven't heard of him before. I know Van wanted him to be his Avatar, but he never told me who he was."

Ferah watched as Selena suddenly remember that she wanted to know what happened to Van. "Oh... Well, Roy is this prince that has a flaming sword and hey what happened to your brother?" She said in a flurry of her well-trained tongue.

"Van... Uh..." Ferah could lie about it. That's what she had intended to do when she needed to talk to Mr. Hirogawa. But it made her conscience act up uncomfortably whenever she told a lie about either of her brothers. "He died by a gunshot wound." She said simply. "His friend was drunk." It wasn't a _full _lie.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Said Selena. "At least it isn't suicide or something."

"Yeah, sure." Ferah wanted to cry, but she had cried so much that she couldn't anymore. "But you know, dead is dead."

Selena kept silent, and picked at her French-manicured nails.

"Well, let's go see what the others are up to." Said Ferah, as she pocketed her cellphone and got up.

Selena followed the motion. "A'ight, sounds good."

Dominick was sitting at the main room table, typing rapidly on his black laptop. Aaron looked over him, a magazine curled in his hand, and Kaze stood behind them, arms crossed.

"Hi guys." Said Ferah cheerfully. "What time's dinner?"

"I think it's 6:30 or so." Said Dominick, barely glancing up. Ferah had seen on her cellphone that it was a little after five.

"You guys looking at the info from the disks?" Selena leaned over. Ferah joined her.

"Yeah. Data on other Players." Said Dominick, cycling through a list of Avatars and Players.

Aaron yawned. "I think we should look up some junk about Trent Williams." He said, like his whole name was his first name.

"Good idea." Said Selene, more seriously. "He looks like trouble. I wish he was on our team."

Kaze frowned. "We don't need him. We can do just as well without him."

Ferah twitched. Kaze did seem like a very arrogant person, but in a subtle way he was keeping the team's spirits from feeling diminished.

"What's so special about this _Trent Williams_ anyway?" Ferah said.

A few clicks, and Dominick had Trent's page open.

_Name: Trent "Marth"_

_Age: 15 years_

_Height: 5' 8''_

_Weight:128 lbs_

_Origination: Northern California_

_Excels: Close Range Combat_

_Records: 1st Place Winner: SSBM NoA, San Diego, California_

_1st Place Winner: SSBM NoA, New York, New York_

_1st Place Winner: SSBM NoA, Seattle, Washington_

_1st Place Winner: SSBM NoA, Orlando, Florida_

_1st Place Winner: SSBM NoA, Salt Lake City, Utah_

_1st Place Winner: SSBM NoA, Houston, Texas_

_1st Place Winner: SSBM NoA, Phoenix, Arizona_

The list went on. Ferrah pointed at the California title. "My brother entered in this one. He got in third." She wanted to brag a little, and show she wasn't a complete n00b. But suddenly, she shut her mouth and pulled back her hand. They were gonna ask...

Aaron was the fastest. "So, what happened to your brother? Why isn't he here instead?" Ferah gave him a disappointed look that he mistook for feeling worthless. "Not that we don't want you here...." He mumbled afterwards.

"No, it's just that..." Began Ferrah.

"He's in the hospital." Said Selena sharply, but cheerful too. Selena was good with her tongue and it didn't come out to obviously that she was trying to keep the idea away from Ferrah, and she was just finishing her sentence.

"Oh, that sucks." Said Aaron, and decided he wouldn't ask why.

Kaze watched as Dominick continued looking through the list. He looked at the Emerald Team, and clicked on Van Roy.

"Well, I think it's a good thing we have you on our team." Said Kaze. It was weird hearing his voice. It sounded clean, like water.

Ferah blushed. "Oh, well, thanks..." She said, quietly. What was he up to?

"It is." Shrugged Aaron. "Because now I have another chick to hit on." He smiled to himself.

Kaze shook his head. "No, it's good..." he turned the screen of Dominick's laptop so it faced Ferah. "...because this way, the other teams don't know anything about you."

He was right. Hirogawa had forgotten that the Player information on the disks had information on Van, and not on Ferah. Ferah shrugged, feeling stupid. Kaze wouldn't say nice things unless he had a real reason.

"Our secret weapon." Said Selena, giving her a pat on the back.

"Well, I don't know if I'm permanent _yet._" Ferah commented modestly. _But I sure hope I am._

There was a knock on the main room door. "Baggage for Ferah Fell." Ferah walked over and opened the door. A bellboy in red uniform gave her a small duffle bag with FRAGILE and THIS SIDE UP stickers all over it. "Thank you very much." She said, and handed him a quarter from her pockets. He looked at it and shrugged. Ferah assumed that, like on TV, she was expected to tip the bellboy.

She closed the door and carefully laid the bag onto the couch. "Watcha got?" Asked Aaron. "Late luggage?"

"What's so fragile and important that cha'd put in a gym bag?" Asked Dominick, jumping onto the couch and letting the pillows bounce beneath him.

Ferah leaned over and unzipped the bag. Instantly, a white blur jumped out. "Oh!" Said Selena, and rushed over, picking it up in a flurry. "A kitten!" She nuzzled its nose, gazing into its deep green eyes. "How lovely." She moved it into holding position, her hand at its bottom. "What's her name? It's a her, right?"

"Yeah, it is." Said Ferah, walking over to smooth down its short fur. "Her name is Fern." She looked at Dominick. "I had to sneak her in. I figured there would be no pets allowed in a classy hotel like this one."

"_Achooo!"_ Sneezed Aaron, grabbing a pillow to cover his nose. Selena twitched. "Great!" He said. "I'm allergic to cats!"

The dinning room was filled with the clanging of silverware against plates and people talking. They all wore their tight black bands around their necks, the chip box like a necklace charm.

"My team decided we'd activate them tomorrow, together." Said Jess to Eric.

"Same here." He said, his mouth full of chicken. "I can't wait. This is gonna be so kick-ass."

Madison, slim and delicate, ate slowly and royally, cutting each slice with the knife, laying the knife on her dinner plate just so, and slowly chewing the chicken meat. She winced whenever Bruce took a large bite of his chicken leg. Sauce clung to his cheeks as he laughed at a joke Nick had made.

Ferah sat between Jordan of the Sapphire Team and Dominick. Dominick was short, so like an older sister, Ferah helped him get food from plates being passed around.

"I'm _starving_." Said Dominick, as Ferah unloaded some fried rice onto his plate. "Back at home, we eat dinner at 5:30." He said, reaching for his water to chug down and clear his throat.

Using one hand to pass a dish, Ferrah used her other hand to carefully hold a pair of chopsticks and slurp up some noodles. "I suspect that they didn't want us having dinner with the usual guests. We're so loud."

She looked up as someone threw a caramel-covered apple slice at Kaze. Kaze caught it with one hand in his palm, holding it above his head as he took a swig of his water. With one swift strike, the apple slice slammed back into Alex's face, almost making him fall backwards in his chair.

"Well, it's a good thing that Mr. Hirogawa isn't here." Said Selene. As she delicately moved a piece of chocolate cake onto her plate, a return shot of garlic bread from someone on the Ruby Team whizzed by. Aaron grabbed an orange and hurled it at Cassandra. Cassandra quickly moved from her chair and the orange flew behind her and smashed into the wall. She smiled at Aaron, who smiled back, and loaded a limp pizza stick.

Ferah walked into the same meeting room as before, still nervously. She rubbed at her sweater's sleeve, which had coke spilt on it.

The tables had been cleared except for the main one in the center. Mr. Hirogawa awaited her. "Hello, Ferah." He said. Only one executive stood at his side, still holding his clip-board.

"Hi, Hirogawa–Sensei." She said, quietly, and took a seat at the table.

"Ah." He said, smiling. "Am I sensei to you?"

She nodded. "I want to be something big in the video game industry." Ferah was lying. Hopefully, by pleasing him, she would be able to stay. She really wanted to become a world-famous fashion designer when she grew older.

"That's good. You get good grades?" He asked.

Was 'good' the only adjective in his dictionary? "Yes, of course." That wasn't exactly a lie.

"That is good. Anyway, we must talk of the matter at hand. Tell me what happened to Van Fell." He said, and folded his hands. The executive took a seat. She saw on his clip-board as he laid it down information about her brother.

"Like I said, Van's my brother. He committed suicide about three weeks ago. But he didn't kill himself completely. He's still alive, but barely. The doctor's are giving him a medicine to relieve his pain, but in doing so it'll probably end up killing him. But he's says that's okay. He says he doesn't want to live." She didn't want to look at Mr. Hirogawa. She turned to face the dull, gray carpet. "So he wants me to take his place in this tournament. He wants me to win." She looked back up at Mr. Hirogawa. He had limited expression on his face. The executive, however, looked sympathetic.

"Please, Hirogawa-Sensei," Breathed Ferah. "Let me grant his last wish?" She didn't go any further. She didn't want to sound like she was pleading. She just wanted to do this.

Mr. Hirogawa gave a redundant nod. "Alright." He said, very simply, and softly. The executive took out a few pages from his clip-board and tucked them away. "Sign here. We also need a guardian signature, so if you would please give the phone number or e-mail address of your guardian..."

Ferah wrote down Dameon's cellphone number, as well as his e-mail address. Then she signed beneath._  
Ferah Marie Fell_

"Alright." Said the executive, giving the black band to Mr. Hirogawa. He looked it over. "Take good care of your Avatar, and let's just hope you have the same fighting style as your brother." He dropped the band in Ferah's small hands.

Ferah smiled a little and tucked it into her sweater pocket. "Arigatou."

XXX

So, that's about it. But so you guys can keep track of your favorite characters, here's a list of the Players and their Avatars.

RUBY TEAM:  
Mario: Ryan  
Zelda: Cassandra  
Kirby: Nick  
Dragonair: Madison  
Falco: Alex

SAPPHIRE TEAM:  
Marth: Trent  
Crystal: Kristina  
Ruto: Amanda  
Charizard: Jordan  
Peach: Mischa

EMERALD TEAM:  
Fox: Kaze  
Link: Aaron  
Roy: Ferah  
Daisy: Selena  
Mr. Game and Watch: Dominick

TOPAZ TEAM:  
Bowser: Bruce  
Nana: Claire  
Saria: Alice  
Jigglypuff: Stephanie  
Ness: Eric

AMYTHEST TEAM:  
Samus: Karen  
Luigi: Scott  
Popo: Jess  
Shiek: Victoria  
Pikachu: Bridget

So. Hope I get some good reviews, eh? Tell me some feedback, and if you have a lot to say, try e-mailing me. Thanks so much for reading. I hope that I'll like this story enough as you hopefully do, so I continue with it till the end. If this goes _really_ well, I'll make my own gallery (probably Deviant ) so I can post character designs. I'm a better artist than I am a writer. ;.; Speaking of video games and art, I sent in a picture of a girl as Roy into Nintendo Power. Maybe it'll get published! Look for it.

Special Thanx to my Editor, XaNGrrR, and to Kuley.

-SK


	2. Avatar Issues

_Konichiwa._

_YouJustGotRapedInTheTooth: My editor wants to know what's up with your name.  
__Phantom Meta-Human: You return! Don't you ever leave me alone? JK. Uber means... super, awesome...1337._

_NOTE(S):  
- Dominick says things funny. Contrary to my Editor's belief, I'm having major typos.  
- I do not own SSBM, Fire Emblem, or any other Nintendo video games, or any of the characters, etc. in those games (IE: Marcus is a real character). But, I do own every Player in this story._

XXX  
Chapter 2: Avatar Issues  
XXX

"Snowy.... Here girl..." Ferrah made smacking noises with her lips, patting her lap. Her kitten bounded loyally onto her blue jean shorts in a chorus of high bells. Ferah leaned over her cat and took another sip of Earlgray tea.

"I thought her name was Fern." Selena mumbled, looked down through her own porcelain cup, wrapped between slim, silver-ringed fingers. She had never had tea before, even British tea. She pulled the tea-bag out by the string and put it on a small platter.

"Her full name is Snow Fern. Her fur is like snow, and her green eyes like a fern buried in the snow." Ferah at first didn't like the tea as well, but it was addictive, like chocolate, or in Selena's case, Pokemon.

Selena took a sip. It had a bland taste of some sort of flower, with sugar and a little flavoring in it. "Great." She said, as she spit it back into the cup subtly. She looked back up at Ferah as she dabbed her lipgloss with the tip of a napkin. "Snow Fern. That's lovely, isn't it."

Ferah shrugged. The ladies sat at the table, crossed legged and sipping tea, while Dominick was on the couch, doing something on his laptop, hitting keys and moving the mouse eloquently with his ebony hands. He sat next to Aaron, who was watching a baseball game on TV. Kaze was out on the balcony, sitting on a white lawn chair and reading a large Stephen King book.

"_Achoo!"_ Aaron sneezed, and grabbed another tissue to blow his nose with. The TV table was littered with magazines and tissues.

"I'm not touching anything on that table until you sterilize it." Said Selene, fixing the twin clips on the right side of her head.

Ferah's hair was up in high, messy double buns. Her hair kept tumbling and poking out, but she didn't bother to fix it. "It's _fine, _Selene."

"Actually, it's better than fine." Said Aaron, a little stuffed up. "You look like a beautiful sunflower goddess."

"That's _daisy_ goddess." Said Selene, fixing the other side.

Ferah turned to Aaron. "I'm really sorry about the cat thing... It's my fault. But I can't leave Fern home right now. I promise I'll go get some allergy medicine for you."

"We can go get it later when we go out for lunch." Said Selene.

"Mmm, lunch! I'm starving!" Said Dominick, looking up from his screen. He had been playing Halo online.

"Dominick, you can't _always _be starving, you know." Said Ferah, getting up to put her cat away in the girls' room. "Starving means when you're so hungry that you're close to death."

"Well, I em!" Said Dominick rather proudly.

Aaron laughed as he blew his nose in an over-used tissue.

"Remind me to get more tissues for you, too..." Ferah said.

There was a sudden _BAM_ against the wall, followed by a lot of laughter and other commotion. Fern leaped from Ferah's arms and zipped through the doorway. Ferah closed the door behind her.

"Looks like the other teams have already activated their Avatars." Said Aaron, flipping the TV off as Ichiro stepped up to bat for the Seattle Mariners.

"I 'hink it's about time we should too." Said Dominick excitedly. He put his laptop in standby and set it on the table.

Selena stood up, and pulled back her golden hair so everyone could see that her Avatar band was already on her slim brown neck.

Aaron adjusted his as Dominick failed to get his own over his head.

"I'll go get Kaze." Said Ferah, opening the unlocked glass door to the balcony. She took a step onto the cold concrete with her bare feet, and felt noise and wind rush into her. It felt good, although she got a profound whiff of raw fish from somewhere upwind.

Kaze sat under the shadow of the next floor's balcony, absorbed in his book. His feet were laid out in front of him, balanced on the edge of a pot holding a fig. He was wearing small, long glasses that narrowed his Japanese eyes.

She leaned on the edge of the railing, the wind billowing through the ruffles of her shirt. "We're activating our Avatars. Come on in."

Kaze slowly got up, folding the edge of his page so as to book-mark his place. He carefully placed the book on the chair and followed Ferah inside.

Aaron, Dominick, and Selene had moved back the TV table and pivoted the couch so they had more room. They were spread out evenly at given points. Kaze closed the sliding door behind them. He took a spot with his back to the window. Ferah took her spot in front of the fire place, parallel to the big screen TV.

Carefully, she pulled out her band, and slipped it over her head, feeling it come down to her neck. The box felt smooth and cool against her bare skin.

"You guys ready?" Asked Aaron. Everyone was anticipating this moment, nodding or smiling or just fingering their chip box.

"CYC." Murmured Kaze, the first to venture.

"CYC!" Said Dominick, who could barely contain his excitement and a straight face.

"CYC." Whispered Selena, looking at the space in front of her like she was about to meet her grandmother's ghost.

"CYC!" Said Aaron, proudly, louder than Selena.

"...CYC." Said Ferrah at last, feeling a heat rise up in her throat. It felt tingly, like there was contemplation at work in that small little box. It spread through her chest and around her lips and slipped through her eyes.

A thin mist filled the room, starting in front of everyone and thickening as it reached the center of the five-point star. Ferah could hear a grandfather clock toll mischievously from the hotel's halls outside their suite, but could not care less.

It was the first time she had ever seen anyone quite like Roy.

He formed a little more than four inches away from her own face, and seemingly fell backwards, maybe tripping over the rug that was laid on top of the suite's carpet.

On the ground he looked around, his eyes still closed. His cloak fell softly after him, like something from a dramatic medieval story. It was draped around his shoulders and over his chest in a bundle of folds. He wore ornate green shoulder and chest armor, ringed golden and with many different panels for direct-combat support. His undershirt was brown, also touched with gold stripe down the middle, that ran into a thick, lazy belt. The buckle of the belt was a tiger, roaring at Ferah or whomever his adversary might be. His boots were large and rose up to his knees, where at his calves were triple-buckled. His sword was connected to his belt, slung horizontally between his back and his cloak.

As the mist disappeared, he opened his eyes.

They were like dark water crystals, like glass and like the sky between evening and midnight. He met her eyes first, but darted around as he looked at his surroundings. Where was he? His soft face brought out his chestnut and Macintosh-apple hair. He wore a headband that seemed to be merely decorative as he brushed his hair out of his eyes. It fell stubbornly back into place.

Ferah leaned over and extended her hand. He grabbed it thankfully and pulled himself up. She had to yank a little, he was heavy with such battle armor on. When he stood, he looked just as mystified as Ferah. She didn't know what to think.

He rose at least one head taller than her, so that she saw the reflection of her face in his chest armor. He backed up a little so he could examine the girl, at least two years younger than himself.

"Hello." The two turned around as they heard Princess Daisy introduce herself to a frozen Selena. There was a chorus of beeps from Mr. Game and Watch to Dominick, who firstly hugged him. Aaron was already showing Link how to bump fists. And Kaze and Fox... They just stared at each other. Finally, Fox was the first one to give in. He extended a hand, and they shook upon agreeing something. Probably that Aaron was an idiot.

"Hello." Said Roy, finally, the first one to stop watching the others. He kept his eye on Ferah, who was mystified at seeing a real Link. He was a little taller than Roy, and wore extensive weaponry.

Ferah turned back to Roy, at a loss of words. He had the clothes of a prince, but the face and voice of any young man. "Hello." She said, and folded her fingers at her lap like a schoolgirl.

"My name is Roy. I venture here forth and always by your side from Pharae Castle to become your Avatar. And you are...?" He said, in a slur of words, rather mechanical. Funny, he didn't seem like he could be CG or virtual or whatever at all.

"My name's Ferah." She didn't look up. She couldn't. It was weird to look into the eyes of a computer project and receive such attention.

"Lady Fell of..." He didn't seem to be looking directly at her. He was looking at the picture above the fireplace, the patterns on the carpet at their feet.

"Ferah of... Sacramento?" She said, kind of bewildered. Now that he wasn't looking directly at her, she could look up. He seemed a little short for his age, maybe sixteen, and fragile underneath his bulky armor. But he held his stature boldly, like a warrior.

"Ah." He looked back at her. Ferrah fidgeted and looked somewhere else again... at Selena, who was finally beginning to warm up to Princess Daisy. "Lady Ferah of Sacramento." He suddenly stooped into a bow. "Well met."

Ferah looked at the empty screen of the TV. Didn't she just see her brother playing Roy in SSBM a month ago? "Yes. Well... met, Lord Roy of Pharae."

"I swear. Intensive AI, he said. And it was the truth." Said Selena, feet neatly tucked under her as she sat on the floor. In her slim fingers were her GBA DS and Pokemon Leaf Green. Directly above her on the couch, Daisy was braiding her hair, her dainty white gloves discarded on the table.

Kaze had gone back out on the balcony to read his book. Fox had gone with him, to read the newspaper. None of the other Avatars seemed as inquisitive or startled as Roy about their new surroundings.

Dominick was playing Halo with Mr. Game and Watch. Ferah thought he was the strangest thing... this two-toned (black and white), two-dimensional stick figure with a large nose and no eyes, and yet it could see, think, learn, and kick Dominick's ass.

Aaron was sleeping on the couch, his allergies catching up with him again. Link could have stored himself in Aaron's cellphone, but just sat on Ferah's left as they watched the Halo Sidewinder match.

Ferah liked the idea of someone to get her mind off Roy. So far, all they had said to each other was their first introductions. Ferah felt uncomfortable around him, so she just sat on the couch, hugging a pillow (that Aaron hopefully hasn't sneezed onto).

"You're an elf, right?" She asked of Link.

"Uh... yeah, sorta..." Link said. He had very slanted, blue eyes, and his golden hair was more distressed than Roy's.

"Are you related to Legolas?" Ferah asked excitedly.

"Who?" Asked Link. "I haven't heard of..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

"Leave him alone." Said Selena. "He doesn't know what you're talking about."

"Oh... are you sure?" Persisted Ferah.

He raised his eyebrow and just stared at her. She stared back, leaning in closely.

"Leave me alone." He said, shaking his head slightly as he was afraid to take his eyes of Ferah. She could attack at any given moment.

"Do you make cookies? Like, Keeblercookies?"

"My God Ferah, leave him alone!" Selena wrapped the end of her braid with a rubber band. She switched places with Daisy, who took off her tiny crown and placed it with her gloves on the table. Selena handed over her GBA DS and pointed out that she "better not save". Selena then took her brush off the table and began combing through Daisy's wavy locks.

Link scooted away from Ferah as Ferah returned her attention to the match. Mr. Game and Watch was in the lead by quite a few kills.

Ferah remembered Link was the Hero of Time and was suddenly glad the team had decided to confiscate all weapons until it was necessary. Roy, Link, and Fox were a little reluctant to give throw their weaponry into a pile, but Kaze prompted them.

A short, loud purr announced the arrival of Fern as the kitten hopped onto Roy's lap. He looked a little shocked, but held out his hand timidly. She looked at it, gave it a whiff, and began licking his glove. Soon, she was rubbing her whisker roots against him, and tunneling herself in his lap.

"What? How did you get out?" Asked Ferah rhetorically.

Aaron sneezed. "Dammit..." He said, and rolled over, tugging the blanket with him.

"Oh, that reminds me." Said Ferah, getting up and taking Fern with her. She didn't know what Roy would do to her kitten. "We were gonna go out for lunch, weren't we?" She checked her cellphone. It was 12:34. "It's late. Let's go."

Roy looked a little sad to see Fern leave. Ferah unintentionally sent him a motherly defensive look.

"Yeah." Said Dominick, who was trying to steer away from ending the game with him in a sad second place. "I'm _starving."_

Aaron threw off the sheets and blew his nose in a wad of toilet paper, pulling up his hood. "You were starving a few hours ago." He said.

"And I still em!" he said, bundling up the controllers. Mr. GaW beeped in chorus. Dominick, although a little sour that he was losing, liked the idea of someone always agreeing with him. "See? MG is hungry too."

"How can you tell?" Asked Ferah, as soon as she was sure Fern was secure in the girl's room.

"We can't possibly take them out wearing clothes like these." Said Selena, as she finished up Daisy's hair wrap. Her hair was so impossibly thick, it looked a little over-proportionate to her head.

"Huh? What's wrong with my clothes?" Said Daisy.

Selena smiled peacefully. "Nothing. Just a little different, that's all."

Was that what Roy was? A little different?

"We could buy them normal clothes at the mall." Said Aaron, pulling the drawstrings of his hood so you couldn't see much of his hair.

"We don't have money for both new clothes and food for all eight of us. Do they need to eat or not?" Ferah asked, checking her cellphone for messages. _"So... How is it?!"_ It was Dameon.

"Well, why are you asking me?" Questioned Selena as she watched Daisy put on her tiny, lace gloves, then her mini-crown.

Ferah turned around, summoning courage to ask Roy a simple question. She turned back around and searched everyone and their Avatars, her eyes widening. "Where is he?"

Ferah tore down the hall, followed closely by her team mates and their Avatars. As she turned the corner, she bumped into someone's broad chest and fell down. Wincing, she looked up. "Bloody..." She started.

Cassandra looked down on her, short hair poking out from behind her ears under her flat coffee-colored hat. She held a large brown bag with the McDonalds slogan on it and the smell of salty French Fries lofted around her. Ferah's stomach rumbled.

"What the hell?" Said the pale Madison from behind her, stopping short and almost running into Cassandra.

"Watch where you're going." Cassandra barked. Behind her stood a taller, slimmer and definitely more angelic Zelda, looking at Ferah sympathetically, although she did not step out of place.

"Sorry." Said Ferah unenthusiastically. Selena helped her up as the team caught up with her.

Link looked at Zelda. "Hello." He said, blushing and looking away awkwardly.

"Oh, hi Aaron." Said Cassandra, dropping her bitchy tone. "Where are you guys off to?"

Aaron sniffed and fiddled with his hood. "Roy's gone missing. Have you seen him?"

"Has Ferah here lost her Avatar? Has it run away?" Cassandra teased, looking at Ferah like a child.

"He's not a _dog._" Said Selena. Ferah found it difficult to completely disagree. He _had_ run away, much like Van's Black Lab did when Van had been taken to the hospital.

"Whatever." Shrugged Cassandra.

"So, did you see him?" Asked Dominick, looking up at Cassandra.

"No, we didn't, sorry." Said Zelda peacefully from behind Cassandra. Cassandra shot her a glance.

Ferah dusted her shorts off. "Okay, thanks anyway." She said to Zelda. They hustled off the way they came.

"If you see him, tell us." Said Daisy, waving at Zelda as they followed after her.

Ferah sighed, and rested to catch her breath. The five of them had separated to search each floor of the hotel.

She took a seat on the thick, carpeted stairs. Was she so bad at this stupid game that she had lost her Avatar? She had already checked her cellphone and the rooms, as well as Dominick's laptop.

Selena caught up with her, also breathing heavily. "I just received a call from Kaze. He thinks Roy might have gone back to your Dreamscape."

Ferah sighed. She should have thought of that sooner. "Okay, let's head back."

"I thought we were all gonna go together." Said Aaron. They sat, scattered between chairs and the couch of their suite's main room.

"It doesn't matter. We'll start at different places." Said Kaze.

"Not if we use our adapter... we can start at our Training Grounds." Replied Aaron.

"It's okay. I'll just go by myself." Said Ferah, checking the clock. It was getting late. Her stomach hurt from hunger, and she was sure the others were hungry too. "You guys go get a late lunch."

"I don't know about letting you go by yourself." Said Selena, shaking her head.

"I thought you're supposed to go with your Avater...?" Said Dominick, checking the data from the disks on his laptop.

"I don't have much of a choice." Said Ferah. "Look, I can use my cellphone there, can't I, Dominick?"

He nodded.

"Then I'll just call you if something bad happens." She said, getting up. Without a response from the rest of the team, she left to the girls' room and shut the door tightly behind her.

Ferah took a deep breath, and looked down at her feet. They were bare. She had thrown off her black scandals in a rush when she had reentered the suite. Would she be barefoot in the virtual world?

She seized her cord off the mini-table and unbound it. She then inserted one end into an electrical outlet near the table and the other to the right side of her chip box.

Her body fell in a heap onto the floor with a thud, her eyes shut tightly.

Ferah felt the rushing of wind, water, and the heat of fire driving through her body like she was but a heron's feather. Her breathing was loud, as if she was having asthma, and her heartbeat was even louder.

When she found she could finally open her eyes, she found she was mid air, descending rapidly towards a small castle. Around the castle she could see forests and other castles, towns, valleys, snow-capped mountains. Above her was a starry, near space, where ships and space-stations floated peacefully.

She kept descending, the castle rapidly became larger and larger. Before she hit the earth of a perfectly green, grassy plain, she slowed, and neatly landed on one bare foot, then the other. As the wind blew from the mountains, she looked around, and checked herself. Her clothes, her cellphone, her shoe-less feet, and her Avatar band were all neatly in check, although she was no longer connected to an outlet by a wire.

She adjusted the spaghetti strap of her tank top, which had slipped down, and readjusted her hair. Everything felt so real. She could feel the sun shining on her bare shoulders, and hear the water of the lake flowing to the wind down the eastern bordering hills. By that lake were two small villages surrounded by wooden walls.

Ferah pulled a wisp of brown hair from her mouth and looked up at the castle. She heard clanging noises from nearby, so she snuck down the courtyard. Peeking from around the corner of a small building, she saw a large, stone, plateau-like platform, of which infantry and cavalry were fighting upon. Their armor was similar to Roy, but in their own ways varied.

Her attention was drawn to the corner as she saw a man fall off his steed. On the stone, he rubbed his elbow. "Damn." He looked up. His sparing partner stood in front of him on his horse. Both the rider and the steed appeared bored. His armor was deep purple, similar to his hair, which was a light violet. He was old and battle worn, perhaps of seventy years.

The man extended a gloved hand. The fallen man accepted it, rubbing his left forearm. "You need to watch your arms. Because they aren't coated in armor, they are a vulnerable spot that will be a target for your opponent." The elderly man said, like his opponent was but a child.

The man frowned. "Right." He said, as he scrambled back onto the saddle of his horse.

"Let's begin again." The elderly man said, and withdrew a long, silver lance. The younger man took out his axe and began striking. If Ferah had been familiar with Fire Emblem Weapon's Triangle, she would have known that the elderly man was giving the other man an exceptional advantage.

The men zipped through the air, maneuvering their horses as they had been their entire life. They were completely absorbed by their battle, although highly unaware of the infantry around them. However, they never trampled them or bumped into them.

Suddenly, those narrow eyes flashed Ferrah's way. She jumped backwards from behind the corner, and tripped on a sprouting root. She began scrambling backwards madly.

"You there! Show yourself!"

"Ohh..." She whined, mostly at herself for being so stupid. She tried to think of a good story real fast as he heard him jump from the saddle and come her way. Who was she? A friend of Roy? It didn't seem like it would work.

He turned the corner and picked her up by the shoulders. He had a tight grip, and since her shoulders were bare, he bruised her. She rubbed her shoulders, and looked down.

"Who are you, kid?" He seemed confused by her clothes. "What were you doing watching our matches?"

"Um... nothing." Stuttered Ferrah. "I was just wandering around the... yard... I'm... a friend of Roy's." She blurted out, uncontrolled.

"Lord Roy is not here right now. What business do you have, and from where are you from and when did Roy meet you?" He insisted. This man seemed to see right through her lie.

"I've come... to rest at Pharae. I met Roy... when he was traveling. To wherever he is right now. Or going to." She stumbled over the words, which she took the man's silence to examine. They were pathetic.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and hoisted her up as two soldiers retired from training and came to his aid. "You tell lies. Until we can confirm where you are from or what you're doing here, you can stay in the cells." He said, and shoved Ferrah over to the men with one strong arm. Her bare feet stumbled and she nearly fell, but one of the men grabbed her, unfortunately by the neck. She winced in pain. How could she feel pain here?

No match for their strength, Ferrah continued to struggle as they dragged her inside the castle.

Ferah could see the sun setting from behind her window's bars. It was the only light here. Her cell was dank and moist and smelt as if a man had perished here recently. She winced.

Hunger was beginning to surface again. Her stomach felt like the acid was burning through it. She sighed, and put her hand on it as she sulked over to the wall and slid down. As she dropped, her free hand touched something furry. It dashed away and slipped through a gap in the bricks of the outside wall. She screamed. Her scream echoed through the darkness. Someone told her to shut up.

She rubbed her hands on her shorts and hugged herself. She had dressed for the summer, but here, as the sun disappeared, the temperature dropped harshly. Her shorts and tank-top were no help for her now, and her feet were still bare. The only warmth she could feel was from the chip box on her Avatar band, humming gently.

She knew that if she turned the chip box to the left, she would awaken back in the hotel room. But she didn't like the idea of running. Ferah knew that running would only make it worse. It was the same with lying, and just look where that had gotten her. Would it have been better if she just explained everything?

Carefully, she touched her shoulders, then winced. They were black-and-blue. Feeling cold and pain in this world... it was real. Like the emotions she was feeling. That old brute. She stared at the stone flooring. Didn't he know he shouldn't treat girls that way? He had called her a child. Who would use a child as a spy, anyway? _...such a jerk..._

She took out her red cellphone, and began cycling through her phonebook for Selene's number. Megan... Ren... Sean...

There was commotion in the corner, beyond her bars. She pocketed her cellphone and ran over to the cold bars. There was a light as someone stepped down the curved stairs and under the low ceiling. It was Roy.

"Roy!" Said Ferah, very glad to see him and embracing the light.

Behind him were the elderly warrior and the man who worked the cells. He seemed so in place with them. This is where he belonged. He was their prince.

The cell man went through some keys and found her cell's, then unlocked the door. She walked out, and he closed the door behind her. She looked at Roy, ashamedly. What was it like, to come home and find her in jail?

"I am sorry I did not believe you immediately." Said the violet-haired man, as if he had sudden thoughts to begin with. However, it was obvious he didn't totally trust Ferah. He slowly swooped into a graceful bow. "My name is Marcus."

_So, Marcus is his name. _Thought Ferah sinisterly.

Roy looked at Ferah expectantly.

"Oh." She whispered, and tried a curtsy. How was that supposed to work, without a dress?

Marcus got up and Ferah stiffened her back. The cell man went to attend other criminals. Ferah, Marcus, and Roy left the room, closing the thick wooden door behind them.

"Where the heck did you go?" Asked Ferrah. "We searched the entire hotel for you!" Roy had seen that she had gotten shoes. She looked at them now, instead of facing Roy. They were white boots that went up to her knees. The heels were about two inches high and narrowed to a mild point.

"I went after your pet. I thought that since the other room's door was open, that was why it was escaping." He said.

They were alone, in the darkening courtyard. The castle's lights were lovely, shining on the petals of the flowers. Ferah took no notice of this however, hovering over him like he was a child. He sat down on a stone bench and replied to her calmly.

"We looked in all of the rooms of our suite. You weren't there!" Ferah continued.

Roy shook his head. "When I went into one of your rooms, the windows were open, and your cat was on a ledge. I went out to get it."

"Why didn't you just tell me! I would have helped..."

Roy's clean face displayed close emotions of anger, but turned into frustration. "You seem to distrust me a lot. You seem to distrust the elf, too. I thought if I could get the cat back without your help, then you would trust me. I wanted to prove to you that I wouldn't hurt Fern."

When he said her cat's name, she felt suddenly ashamed. "Look, I don't have problems with Avatars. It's just that I don't get why I have to befriend a computer program to win this contest." She said, consoling down a little.

Roy felt the contrary. "I don't understand what this 'computer program' is and I don't know what by Elemine is going on! I don't know why I'm your Avatar, and I don't know why you're my Player! I don't even know how I know this information!" He rubbed his hair. "I've never seen a cat before, and I don't know if I eat your food, because I don't know what you eat!"

Ferah could do nothing but shake her head. AI could be dangerous if the computer was confused. "How can you not know why you are my Avatar? You're just... programmed that way."

"I don't understand this 'programmed'. What is it?" He shook his head. "I'm not some 'computer program', as far as I know. I'm just..." He paused. Just a prince, just a half-dragon. "I'm sorry, but I've got more important priorities than helping you win this game. My father is dying and I've got to rule the kingdom in his place."

"I'm not in this stupid contest because I want to. I don't even play video games! I'm here because it's my brother's last wish of me." She said, biting her lip. His problems seemed greater, but her conscience was telling her that her problems were more important. His were fake.

"I'm sorry about your brother." He said quietly.

"Then I'm sorry about your dad." Replied Ferah, taking a seat on the opposite side of the cold stone bench. In the silence, she stretched her legs and arms in pairs, then looked up.

She searched the sky and the nearby forest with her green eyes. Silence ensued as both of them wandered in their own thoughts.

_Poor Roy. His father his dying. Then he'll have to run his kingdom by himself... No. How can I feel sorry about his dad? His dad isn't dying. His dad isn't living. _He_ isn't living._ Thought Ferah, staring unintentionally at the dark of the nearby forest.

Roy seemed to see her reconsideration in her eyes, and his mouth tightened. Straying from the idea, he too looked into the forest. "Kokiri Forest." He said.

"Yea, so I've heard." Said Ferah. Her stomach rumbled uncomfortably, so she stood up to exercise it. "I suppose I've got to head back." She said, checking her cellphone for the time. It was 8:13. She hadn't really come up with a solution to their problems, but she didn't really want to think about this anymore. She felt both real guilty and arrogant.

Roy stood up too. "Alright. I'll come too." He halfheartedly said.

Ferah assumed he was just trying to be a gentleman and shook her head. "Nah. You stay here." She said, smiling feebly. "And attend to your father."

Roy nodded. "Be sure to go back to your home, then. Don't linger here. It's dangerous." He said, before heading towards a door on the castle wall.

"Alright." Once he was out of sight, Ferah sat back down on the bench, and stretched out onto her back. It was still cold out, and the stone even icier against her almost-bare back.

It didn't make sense to her. Did Roy actually have a reality? Did he wake up, every day, and follow a schedule, just like she did? What was it like, to suddenly find yourself somewhere different, saying things you never knew you knew, and being expected to follow some kid around?

Her attention was suddenly drawn to very small, orbed lights in the distance of the gloomy trees. They were different neon and pastel colors, leaving a wake of glitter behind them as they flew in dance. The ringing of bells and the laughter of children crescendoed as the sun began to set.

Ferah sat up. Was that Fern's bell, on her collar? And the laughter, children teasing her? When Roy rescued Fern, did he take her back here instead of the suite? She started to walk over slowly. It was night time, and the dark was menacing. But the lights still danced, and the bells still rung. Ferah couldn't let Fern run around the forest, especially in a virtual world.

"Snowy..." She called as she explored further into the tree-cover, her light getting fainter and fainter.

"Snowy?" She beckoned, trying to use her own voice as assurance that she wasn't alone. She smacked her lips, and pat her lap. "...Snowy..." She sang.

All of a sudden, something rustled underneath her. As it surfaced, it threw her aside. She fell to her knees, and assumed it was nothing but an earthquake. But as the rustling continued, she scrambled back up onto her feet and slowly retreated, so her back was again a thin tree. In the dark, she couldn't see much more than silhouettes. More of the things moved by her feet. They were like tentacles, shoving themselves up from the leaf-covered earth. One of the tentacles grabbed her, and sharp teeth pierced her flesh. At first, she was suspended in shock, but as she was thrown into the tree she awoke and screamed in pain, tearing it off and backing further away. More of the tentacles were spouting out of the ground, coming for her with the razor teeth.

"Spear... Arrow." Someone said from a very dark nearby.

A blurr shot in front of Ferrah's face, striking one of the tentacles that were sneaking up behind her. More arrows shot by, striking more of the tentacles.

As the arrows struck their targets, the archer moved closer, jumping lightly from branch to branch, bringing with her one of the orbed lights Ferah had seen from the courtyard. In the neon pastel light, she could who her attackers actually were. They were thin roots, sprouting both leaves and a head of sharp teeth. One by one as the got hit, they shook their heads and shrank back into the earth.

"Brilliant..." Ferah breathed, her attention drawn to the floating orb and it's lovely light. The archer dropped to Ferah's right from a low branch of a near tree. She was but a child.

The girl dropped down, the blue of the orb throwing light against her face. She had dark green, curly hair flipping in and out around her face. The rest of her attire were different shades of green as well, a conservative mini dress and a sweater underneath. She wore high boots as well, and her eyes were a bright green.

"Oh my! Are you okay?" She asked, concern written all over her face.

Ferah was still in shock. She breathed a little more before answering. "Just... fine, thank you." She grabbed the girls shoulder's in a hug.

The girl seemed to tremble underneath her weakly. As Ferah let her go, the green-haired girl retired her bow and arrows back into a quiver slung on her back. The orb approached Ferah. She could now see luminescent, translucent butterfly wings. As the butterfly wings beat the air delicately, the glowing butterfly swerved around Ferah, examining her, and made a chorus of bell rings.

"Oh..." Said Ferah, as soon as the recognition that the bells were not Fern had reached her.

"You're right, Plui." The girl said. "I should know her, and I'm pretty sure I do."

Ferah gave her a quizzical look. She didn't recall ever meeting a girl with pointed ears. The other girl seemed to understand. "Survival." She said, the first she had said so strongly. A girl of about the same age as Ferah dropped out of the green-haired girl, stumbling a little. Ferah caught her by the shoulders and up righted her.

They smiled at each other, glad to see other Players about.

This new girl had orange-brownish hair, in messy pigtails that were lazily laid onto her shoulders. She had large, thin-rimmed glasses enlarging her small eyes.

"You're Ferah, right? The Roy Player." Her voice was very quiet and could barely be heard, even over the silence of the nighttime forest.

"Yeah. That's me. Who're you?" Ferah asked, watching the butterfly as it circled the three of them. A trail of glitter followed it.

"I'm Alice. This is Saria." She backed up, showing her the green-haired girl.

Saria smiled and waved cheerfully. "Hi!" She seemed to have a lot more freedom than Zelda under Cassandra.

"Hi..." Ferah replied.

Alice watched as Ferah's gaze followed the glowing orb. "This is Plui. He's my... or Saria's fairy."

"It's both of our's." Declared Saria loudly. She seemed very friendly and comfortable, unlike Alice, who was very quiet. Saria laid a gloved hand on Alice's shoulder.

Alice performed a weak smile for Saria, then turned back to Ferah. "How'd you end up here? This is my Dreamscape training ground. Taking a stroll around Pharae?" She searched the floor in case any more of the monsters came back up.

"I thought Plui's bells were my cat's. Kind of crazy, I know, but there's a reasoning to it." Said Ferah, shrugging.

Alice searched behind Ferah. "Where is your Avatar? Roy?"

Ferah looked down. "Back at the castle. I didn't really want him to come with me." She scratched her neck.

"Are you having troubles with him?" Asked Saria. "Is he treating you badly? Because if he's being a jerk I'll be sure to-"

"No, it's not that." Ferah tried to look up at the moon, but the tree cover was very thick. If there hadn't been light from Plui, she would have been utterly frightened, now that she knew there were things underneath her programmed to attack. "But what are you doing in the virtual world so late?" She asked, deciding she didn't really want to talk about the whole Roy's reality thing. Her head already hurt.

"Just hanging around Kokiri. Saria said I should come see what the fairies are like at night." Said Alice.

"That's cool." Ferah's stomach grumbled. "Look, I should go. I missed lunch and dinner. It was great meeting you guys though."

Alice smiled. "All right. Come visit me sometime, okay?"

Ferrah nodded, waved goodbye at the two girls, and then turned her chip box to the left.

Ferah awoke on her bed, on the sheets she didn't bother to fold earlier that morning. She scrambled for the lights and flicked them on. She was still wearing the white shoes, now caked with forest underbrush. Sitting back down on her bed, she fingered the stitching down the sides. So... real. However, the bite on her arm and the bruises on her shoulders had disappeared.

She opened the door to the main room. There was a dim light from the corner. Kaze was there, reading his book, with Fox, sprawled out on the couch, beginning to sleep. Daisy and Selena were there, snug in blankets and sitting back-to-back, playing Pokemon on twin GBA DSes. Aaron's snoring could be heard from the open door of the boy's room. Link, Dominick, and MG were gone as well.

The door creaked loudly, revealing her entry. Selena got up in a start. "Oh! Are you okay?" She asked, just like Alice. She could see Ferah was drained. Fox seemed to awaken, and Daisy gazed up from Pokemon, which was obviously beginning to bore her. Even Kaze looked up.

Ferah said nothing. There was left-over Chinese food on the TV table.

"How are you?" Asked Fox.

Everyone seemed to know of the matter. She didn't look their way, but felt their eyes tracing her to the table. She collapsed onto her knees and picked up a pair of wooden chopsticks, ravenously chowing down on the cold noodles.

XXX

Boy am I tired. And sad. Only two fans?

Special Thanx to my Editor, XaNGrrR.

-SK


	3. Intensive AI

_Sorry about the hiatus. My comp is screwed up majorly, even after Defragmenting, Virus Scanning, Ad-Aware and Spybot run throughs. So, I bring you a kinda-longer chapter. Which I didn't really have a choice on anyway. Enjoyeth.  
  
Woah. It was the weirdest thing. After I released the second chapter, I met this girl named Selena! It was like, OMFG! They were a lot alike, too, except the real Selena isn't Hispanic and is a little younger.  
  
Guess what? Although I have made so much of the storyline, I'm running out of juice/enthusiasm for this story. But the fact that I got a new reader makes me happy! So, to writing I go!  
  
LightAngel2: ...Woot. I love you.  
  
NOTE(S):   
- I still don't own SSBM, Fire Emblem, etc.   
- Has anyone been noticing that I've been switching between "Selena", "Serena", and "Selene"? Well, since I just met a Selena, I suppose she'll be Selena now.   
- And have you guys noticed the other things I've been doing? Like, when the other Players were talking about Trent, someone said Harry Potter? And the Emerald Team's suite is number 169. Anyone? No? You are the suck.   
- I gave up on Dominick talking too funny. .   
- CDs = Disks._  
  
XXX   
Chapter Three: Intensive AI   
XXX  
  
The smell of sugary cereal and milk provided by the hotel awoke Ferah's senses as she stepped into the main room of the Emerald suite.  
  
She yawned, and scratched her head. Her hair wasn't up in her usual double- buns yet, but was pulled back in a messy ponytail to contain it while she slept. However, she was dressed in one of her originals. "Morning." She mumbled.  
  
"Good morning." Said Selena, every-so-perfect. Her hair was laid out perfectly on her thin shoulders and her mascara was completely un-clumped.  
  
"Hey." Said Dominick. He was checking more info on the CDs. As per usual, he maintained his spot on the floor with his laptop on the TV table.  
  
Aaron, wearing a sleeve-less shirt and over-large addidas pants waved. Ferah couldn't tell if his ensemble was sleepwear or his clothes for the day. He was brushing his teeth with an automatic toothbrush, and minty foam was beginning to form at his mouth.  
  
Kaze sent her recognition via his eyes and returned to watching the news on TV. There was a live car chase as a pair of cop cars tore down the highway after a failing Oldsmobile.  
  
Ferah let out a breath of relaxation when she found there were no Avatars about. She wanted to have some time with real people for a little while.  
  
"So, what are you looking at?" Asked Ferah casually, taking a seat on the couch behind Dominick.  
  
"Just some stuff on the CDs. We 'aven't really given 'em a good run- through..."  
  
"Good idea." She said, and peered over his shoulder. Something about elements... "What does it mean?" She asked, completely clueless.  
  
"Oh... This is about each Avater bein' in an element. Like... fer instance, Roy's Fire controlled..."  
  
"Okay... well, can I use your laptop after your done?" Ferah asked, non- interested.  
  
Dominick nodded, exiting out of the box. "Yeah, you can 'ave it right now. What do you need it fer?" He asked.  
  
"I want to e-mail my family." Ferah replied, finding a loose string on her home-made blouse and giving it a twist and a tug. It came off cleanly.  
  
"A'ight." He said, and delicately handed it over to her.  
  
Ferah took the thin, black laptop and sat down on the couch, near Kaze. She let herself bounce on the cushions to bug him. It had no effect.  
  
She signed on to her e-mail provider and opened a blank e-mail.  
"_Hey Dameon. Sorry I didn't mail you sooner, but I was a tad busy with the contest and whatnot. So far, I'm rather confused. My character, a prince called Roy, seems to have his own life in the virtual world, like he's living. Mr. Hirogawa had stressed the AI in the Avatars, anyway. (That's what we call them.) Anyway, I'll introduce the other members of my team. There's Dominick, whose laptop I'm using right now. He's a cool kid that loves video games (but of course, not as much as Van). His character is Mr. Game and Watch, whom we dub MG. He's some ancient video game character, and is like, two dimensional, and completely black. A stick figure. He really freaks me out. And then there's Aaron, who also kind of freaks me out, but not as much. He's the Player of an elf. Unfortunately, he's allergic to Fern, so he's been sleeping a lot. For now, I've been keeping her in Selena and my room. I don't know a lot about him, but he obviously adores Selena. Selena is the only other girl on the team. She's really pretty and friendly. And surprisingly, she's obsessed with Pokemon. Her character is Daisy, some sort of princess. And then there's Kaze. Said_ Kha-zay_. Really weird, I know. He's a solitary guy. Likes to read out on the balcony, away from Aaron's snoring or senseless rambling and Selena and Dominick's video games. His character is Fox, who is, well, a fox. Anthropomorphic. Roy is usually pretty busy ruling his lovely little kingdom, so I don't talk to him much. From what experiences I've had with him so far, he reminds me a lot of Van... How is Van anyway? I hope he can hang on long enough for me to win this little contest. Don't tell him I've been having troubles with Roy, it would break him. Has that stupid dog Raven come back yet? And I hope you haven't forgotten about Thunder and Lightning. Tell Van I love him. I love you too, and Aunty. - FMF"  
_  
Ferah finished, checked over her spelling, and then sent it to her brother. She poured a glass of chunky milk and took a chug. It was bland. Getting up to get a teabag of Earlsgray, she passed the laptop back to Dominick. "Thanks." She said.  
  
Fox appeared next to her in a flash. He stretched, opening his muzzle and revealing dangerous ivory canines. He sulked back into the couch cushions and put his feet up on the table. "Morning, all." He said casually.  
  
"Oh... hi Fox." She said, lifting her feet over his legs. "You want my milk?" It was a test to find out if they could eat and drink real food. She watched him carefully.  
  
"What? No, no thanks. Already had something." He shrugged.  
  
Ferah sighed and went to pour it down the drain in the shared bathroom.  
  
When she came back, Daisy, Link and MG were there.  
  
"Why don't you bring out Roy?" Asked Selena twirling her earring stub.  
  
Ferah frowned. "He's probably busy."  
  
"That's kind of strange." Said Selena. "If he's in video game, shouldn't he be ready to play at all times?"  
  
Ferah shook her head. "I suppose I _could_ force him to come here, but I'm trying to be courteous. We didn't start on a good foot. And remember, 'Intensive AI?'"  
  
The hour-long news ended, and Kaze stood up. "Well, time to get him ready. We should get to training."  
  
"Oh yeah, we ah a mat todey, dun't we?" Aaron said through his gurgling and foam.  
  
"We actually should have started training yesterday, like the rest of the teams. We're behind, so let's finish up breakfast and get to work." Said Kaze, finally taking role as captain.  
  
Ferah bit her lip, remembering that yesterday was devoted to finding Roy. "Sorry..." She said.  
  
"It's alright." Said Selena quickly, in case Kaze tried to voice otherwise. She placed her bowl of chunky milk onto the breakfast cart.  
  
Aaron got up to spit out his toothpaste. "I'll guh get teh Adepter."  
  
"I'll get their weapons." Said Dominick, following after him. Fox's ears twitched up, glad to receive his Blaster back.  
  
"Don't forget shoes." Said Ferah, pulling on the white leather boots she had gotten last night.  
  
---  
  
Again, the rushing of power drove through Ferah's body. The trip was shorter this time, and she didn't descend to Pharae, but instead appeared and landed neatly on a large, multi-layered, floating platform in the middle of a perfectly blue sky. The sun was near overhead, but the heat wasn't driving. Sunshine glittered through a large, floating emerald, throwing dancing green reflections onto the gray stone of the fray.  
  
Next to her landed Selena, then Aaron and Dominick, and finally Kaze.  
  
"Woah..." Said Dominick, a little dizzy. MG appeared next to him and made beeping noises, mimicking Dominick's flailing from side to side as he held his head.  
  
The stage's three surfaces were decorated with pillars, floating platforms, square holes, rotating circular disks, and rows of spikes. "Great..." Mumbled Ferah. She had suddenly wished she had exercised this summer instead of being so lazy.  
  
Aaron peered carefully over the side of one of the holes. "Wonder what happens if we fall and don't land on the other layers." He murmured. Some of the holes were aligned with holes on the lower frays, so if you fell, you would fall through all three of them.  
  
"Oh, let's find out, shall we?" Selena said, hovering menacingly behind him.  
  
Fox appeared near Kaze, who was scanning the horizon beyond the fray boundaries. He sheltered his sly eyes with a hand. There were four other platforms, with a ruby, topaz, sapphire, or amethyst above them. Most of the other platforms were housing the teams as they trained and talked.  
  
"Might as well get started." Said Kaze, as Roy and Link landed. Daisy drifted down from above with her white umbrella.  
  
Roy dropped down in front of Ferah with a slight thud. He didn't seem so distracted this time. "Good morning, Lady Ferah." He said, smiling.  
  
"Erm, good morning." Said Ferah. Aaron snickered from behind Roy. "Could you let up on the 'Lady' bit?" She asked quietly. He nodded courteously.  
  
Daisy landed lightly onto the ground, closing her umbrella and hanging it on her arm via the hook.  
  
"Are we all ready?" Asked Aaron, watching Dominick. He hadn't stopped swaying yet, but made his way over to Ferah. His face was muddled with fright and his knees kept locking and unlocking. MG followed after him, making an arpeggio of flat beeps.  
  
"I don't think so." Said Ferah, as she grabbed Dominick's shoulder to steady him. He looked up at her with quivering eyes. "Are you okay?" She asked, bending over to his height.  
  
"I'm afraid... of heights..." he buried his face in her cardigan so he wouldn't have to see the nothingness through the holes.  
  
Selena gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "Maybe it'll be easier for Dominick once he's got MG in him." She looked at Daisy. She wanted to be first this time.  
  
"Sur...survival." Daisy disappeared into the mist again, and returned to Selena. But instead of going straight back into the chip box, the mist layered and covered Selena. She let out a gasp of wonder.  
  
"Survival." Said Aaron, looking at Link. Link gave him a nod coolly as the mist overtook him and was guided to Aaron.  
  
"...SurVival!" Moaned Dominick, trying to get it over with so he could return to the real world.  
  
"Survival." Fox disappeared into Kaze quickly.  
  
Ferah sighed. "Survival." She said, looking at Roy. He was staring at her shoes pensively. "Oh... I..." She mumbled, starting to explain.  
  
Roy slid and disappeared into the mist, surrounding Ferah like a blanket of green and gold. As it overtook her, Dominick and the sun disappeared from her sight.  
  
Ferah took a deep breath. She was somewhere dark, but it felt warm and nice. Her footing gave way, like the platform underneath had drained into paper. Scared, she looked around for Roy, so he could hold her up. But he was no where to be found. Taking in the air to relax, she thought she could almost feel Roy, not next to her, not near her, but inside her.  
  
She held out her arm cautiously as a finger-less gauntlet materialized over her arm. Her blouse had extended and was thin and stiff. Her shoulders were suddenly weighed down and her bangs pulled back. She touched her hair. It was now short, not as short as Roy's, but just a little beyond her ears. She adjusted the chest armor, which dug deeply into her side.  
  
There was a yell. She snapped out of her mystification and saw Daisy trying to help up a strange brown stick figure onto the fray.  
  
"Dominick!" Ferah yelled. She paused. Someone was yelling with her. She nodded, noting it was Roy.  
  
She ran over and roped her arms around Selena's thin stomach, trying to root her foot behind a pointed stone pillar. Roy's strength was amazing, but Dominick was slowly slipping away from Daisy's lace-gloved hands. "He fell during the synchronization." Explained Daisy, sounding a lot like Selena.  
  
Ferah flattened her face against Daisy's back. Neither Dominick nor MG were heavy, but their grip was failing. Ferah couldn't see Dominick, but he heard his moaning.  
  
A green figure dove from her right and completely slid over the edge. Daisy let out a yelp of surprise. There was a thud against the stone fray, and the unraveling rattle of chains. Daisy took a breath and let go of Dominick's hands, letting his figure disappear over the edge.  
  
"Are you insane?" Breathed Ferah as she let go of Daisy, then rushed up to the rim.  
  
Daisy sat back on the ground. "It's okay, Link's got him." She breathed, pulling back on her glove and pushing back a strand of chestnut hair that had gotten loose in the flurry. It was Serena.  
  
Ferah peered cautiously over to the edge. Below her was Link, one hand holding Dominick's hand, and the other holding the handle of metal grappling hook. The hook was more like an arrow, lodged into the stone side of the top fray.  
  
Link looked up. Ferah recognized his face features, as well as his hair, as Aaron's. "Aaron!" She shouted. His bare arm strained to keep his fist strong on the handle.  
  
Aaron began rocking his body, swaying from the chain, back and forth, back and forth. Dominick looked very queasy, although it was hard to tell when his face was so dark.  
  
With one more swing, Link yanked the hook out of the fray and jumped onto the second layer, landing dangerously close to the edge. He dropped Dominick, and was about to fall backwards off the fray himself. Dominick was too shaken to help him, just staring in shock. It was up to Kaze, quickly dropping down the hole and grabbing Aaron's arm with a tight, furry grip. As Kaze yanked him up, Aaron almost collapsed on top of Kaze, but Fox's speed was amazing and they suddenly shot away, allowing Aaron to drop onto the stone.  
  
Ferah jumped down one of the holes to the second fray, then landing awkwardly as she threw her hands to control her arid pleaded skirt, like the one she had been wearing in the real world. Once she was sure it wouldn't fly up, she ran over and picked up Dominick, grabbed his head in a deadly hug, much like Dameon's. But instead of cushioning his head on her chest, his head slammed against her armor. "Sorry." She murmured, giving his short hair a rub.  
  
Daisy followed after. Aaron stood up and received a pat on the back from her. "That was great, you two."  
  
Kaze sighed from Aaron's recklessness. He looked strange as Fox, partly because Fox's brown fur was now a dark black, tipped with white.  
  
Aaron wiped his face. "I totally would have not been able to do that in real life." He breathed deeply, shaking his head. A cool wind blew through the layer and caught Link's pointed hat, whirling it off the edge.  
  
---  
  
"I thought Roy's sword was supposed to be flaming." Said Selena, sitting on the corner of a floating platform as it hovered peacefully up and down.  
  
"I know, and the hilt is hot... but I can't get it to flame. Am I doing something wrong?" Ferah asked Roy as her blade clanged against Link's Master Sword. Aaron pulled back the sword, careful not to send Ferah's blade driving into him, and swirled around using some sort of strange move to cut Ferah's chest armor.  
  
The strangest thing that the Emerald Team had discovered was that, for certain moves, they had to say certain commands that came to them from their Avatars.  
  
"The fire should go on it's own. Maybe you can't because this is just training." Said Roy from somewhere near her.  
  
"I hope that that's just it." She said. So far, she had been the only one who didn't use Commands for the special moves, because Roy hadn't told her any. Ferah took her left hand to wipe sweat from her eyes. It usually was curled in a fist, the way Roy was accustomed to fighting.  
  
Something about the virtual world and wielding such a beautiful sword made Ferah's adrenaline rush. She forgot all about Van being in the hospital, about the dress she was composing, or about her meeting the weird kid William.  
  
---  
  
Ferah's eyes shot open. Sweat was rolling down her forehead, and her blouse was drenched. She lifted a ghoulish-feeling hand and yanked out her cord from her Chip Box. Her body solidified. She reached out and pulled out the other end of her cord from the Adapter Box. The others did the same. Once everyone had unhooked themselves, they began rolling up their cords, except for Dominick, who quickly dashed off to the bathroom.  
  
Ferah found she had slid off the couch and onto the floor into an awkward pose. Aaron rolled her head her way, extremely tired, and laughed. She got up and almost collapsed. Serena waddled over stiffly and helped her up.  
  
Their training had mostly contained of sparring. Dominick's fear had subsided long enough for him to have a good laugh at Ferah trying to slash Kaze with the Sword of Seals.  
  
Ferah didn't realize how heavy Roy's armor was until she actually had it on. She almost got tangled in his cape a couple of times, and whenever her new red hair flashed in the corner of her eyes, she thought it was somebody. After a while, the armor he wore hurt her chest.  
  
Regardless of the pains, Ferah absolutely loved synchronizing with Roy and fighting. She could jump higher, run faster, and was at least three times stronger than she was right now. Yet, she still maintained her girlish figure, even after hours with Roy's blade.  
  
Kaze and Fox were an amazing team, regardless of their personalities. Kaze was very good at reaction time, and was sly at when he was going to attack and where. Fox was the fastest Avatar accessible.  
  
Selena had a hard time controlling Daisy. Daisy had weird things hidden under her skirt, like a golf club. Selena was used to wearing pants and boots, so she was limited to what she could do in a poofy dress.  
  
Aaron mumbled something unintelligible as he got up, rubbing his back.  
  
"I'm gonna go take a shower." Said Selena, getting up and dragging herself to the girls' room.  
  
"I'm next." Called Aaron.  
  
"Then I'm after that." Muttered Ferah.  
  
"You guys are going to have to wait. Dominick's throwing up in there." Said Kaze, checking keys in his pocket.  
  
---  
  
The Players were scattered amongst the risers at a small baseball field in a park down the street from their hotel. On the way there, they were swamped by photographers and cameramen. Ferah had stopped a lot to market her small clothing line. Selena had been stopped a lot because she was so photogenic. Kaze had stopped a lot of the cameramen from stopping them.  
  
Ferah straightened the creases in her skirt as she sat down on the risers. Selena took a seat next to her and took off her sunglasses, then put them in her hair. She brushed back a strand of gold. "I prefer being a blonde than a brunette." She said simply.  
  
"I prefer not being anchored down with shoulder and chest armor." Commented Ferah. She shook her leg in anticipation and watched the other Players talk amongst themselves. She didn't want to hold back, fighting against a partner, but instead unleash full out Roy's sword. Maybe she could get it to flame.  
  
"I like not being a stick figure on a floatin' platform umpteen millon feet in teh sky." Said Dominick. He tried to lean back, but hit his head on Ruby Team Scott's knee.  
  
Hirogawa appeared, accompanied by his Assistant and several executives. Most of them guarded the borders to where spectators and photographers had to watch from. As he moved front and center, the Players hushed up.  
  
"Hello! Welcome to GreenWater Park, where the duration of our first matches will take place. I hope the past few days have been treating you well, and also hope your Avatars have been too." He said loudly, so the spectators could hear as well.  
  
Ferah leaned into her hand. As soon as she could, she would try to scrape and tap off all the dirt on her shoes. Roy had figured out she had stayed around in the virtual world when she said she wouldn't. He would have said something if they weren't distracted by vigorous training.  
  
"Your team will be randomly chosen to fight another team. Since there are five teams, one team will not fight today. The first team to force all members of the opposing team into submission, IE trap them, cause them to forfeit, or make them unconscious, wins the match. After your fight, the scoreboard here," He pointed at the baseball field's electronic scoreboard, which had been reconfigured, "will display points lost and gained by your fighting. The three teams with the most overall points during the Team period will continue in this contest."  
  
Mr. Hirogawa continued. "Points can also be awarded on things like Captains defeating other Captains, or Rivals defeating their Rivals." There was a little chitchatting after this. He continued to silence them. "You're Rivals are your mirrors. For instance, Mario and Luigi are Rivals. The only one who doesn't have a Rival is Mr. Game and Watch." He scratched his head, surprised he hadn't mentioned Rivals beforehand. "Anyway... the teams fighting today are... The Ruby Team versus the Emerald Team and the Sapphire Team versus the Amethyst Team."  
  
Aaron and Kaze moved up from the lower layers as people began rearranging.  
  
"Let's see who's down there..." Said Selena, standing up and almost losing footing because of her large black pumps. She sheltered her eyes with her hand. "Alex... Madison... Ryan... Cassandra... and some loud guy."  
  
"Eh? That's Nick." Said Aaron. "Alright, Dominick, do you remember what Players have what Avatars from the CD information?" Aaron asked.  
  
"I know Cassandra is with Zelda." Said Ferah bitterly.  
  
"Okay." Said Dominick, looking pensive. "Ryan is Mario, I know that. Nick is Kirby..."  
  
"Alex is Falco." Said Kaze, looking behind them to the dark-haired Alex.  
  
"And Cassandra has a Dragonair." Said Selena.  
  
"A what?" Asked Ferah, who didn't stay in to Pokemon long enough to catch one.  
  
"Yeah, what do you know about their Avatars?" Asked Aaron.  
  
"Well... Kirby can copy abilities. Falco is fast, 'though not a fast as Fox. Zelda has projectiles. She's concentrated on power, but is really slow. I can't remember anythin about Dragonair, though."  
  
Selena narrowed her eyes, searching Madison. "Dragonair." She stated quietly. "Dragon Pokemon, that evolves from Dratini. It's a mystical Pokemon that... exudes a gentle aura. Has the ability to change climate conditions." She said, reciting it like a poem. "That's all I can remember... I never bother to raised one..."  
  
"The ability to change the weather? I don't think that's gonna happen. Know anything else?" Asked Aaron.  
  
Mr. Hirogawa began quieting the Players. "Divide into your teams. If the Ruby and Emerald Teams would follow my assistant here... and the Sapphire and Amethyst team follow him..."  
  
"Er... oh... I suppose she could be an Ice Pokemon too..." Selena tried to say over the noise as kids jumped and dropped from the risers instead of walking down them.  
  
"Yeah." Said Dominick. "She was under Ice element. She was also under-" He got cut off as he fell of the metal risers, scratching himself but landing on his feet.  
  
"I call Cassandra!" Aaron happily announced.  
  
The Emerald Team followed the backs of Ryan and Nick as they and moved over to the waiting Assistant and their battlefield.  
  
---  
  
They were led over to a small arena that was enclosed by tall metal gates, holding back a large crowd of spectators. Most of the arena was made out of a very steep inclined slope, that lead almost directly into a wide river, excluding a small stretch of gravel. On the other side was a mirroring nearly-vertical hill. Above the arena was a large stoplight-like object, hanging from poles that were beyond the boundaries. At the moment, the light was red.  
  
"What? This tiny little thing?" Whined Cassandra. Ferah looked her way. At least she wasn't the only one who was totally freaked at this. But still, she felt she might be the only one out of the ten of them who couldn't swim.  
  
"Looks can be misleading." Said the executive, who had overheard her. Ferah frowned, looking at the water.  
  
With instructions, the Emerald Team spread out and stood on the brow of the furthest hill. There were ten little platforms jutting out from their hillside where each member took a spot at, a blank one in-between for each Player's Avatar. The Ruby Team mirrored them on the other hill.  
  
Ferah could see Dominick down the hill, looking uncomfortable on such a small platform. He kept fingering his Chip Box. "MG..." He summoned.  
  
Ferah copied the motion. "Roy." She called. He appeared in the familiar smoke, then appeared on the platform next to her, his hand behind him, probably on the hilt of his sword. Everyone's Avatar appeared behind them.  
  
Madison had called out her Dragonair like a real Pokemon Trainer would have done, doing something corny like "I choose you, Dragonair!", with her hands cupped around the Chip Box. Ferah had scoffed, but Selena had looked on in complete marvel.  
  
Dragonair was a long, thin dragon. It had large eyes and a slim, blue surface. On it's head was a lovely, shining horn. It coiled itself on its platform, then raised it's head, watching the Emerald Team.  
  
Ferah sighed, bracing herself as the announcer took his place on another hill so everyone could see him. He took up a microphone. "When the light turns green..." He said. The light flashed yellow, and he began to count down.  
  
"5...4...3...2... ... ... ... 1!" As soon as he yelled the last digit, the light flashed red.  
  
Ferah took a deep breath. "Survival!" Everyone yelled at nearly the same time.  
  
Kaze didn't bother to be mystified again like Ferah, but instead headed down the hill on his knee. The hat-less Link dove after, and Selena jumped up and out, opened her umbrella and planning to land on the gravel near the water. Dominick, in his brown-stick figure form froze, making rattling noises and peering downward.  
  
Ferah yelled. "Dominick, let's go!" She threw herself off the edge, wondering how deep the river was. She slid down, using Roy's booted foot to push away the rocks on the hill. As she watched the water come nearer, she could feel Roy's burning anticipation for battle.  
  
She saw Kaze suddenly stop before hitting the river, jumping up to slow his fall. Link scrambled in the gravel as not to slide into the water. Selena was about to land in the water, but Link grabbed her ankle and pulled her towards the land.  
  
"What?" Began Ferah. Roy spoke in her head, "Look!", moving her head to focus on the Ruby Team. Mario, Falco, Kirby, and Zelda hadn't rushed into battle like they did, but instead skidded down from the platforms late so Madison could rush ahead.  
  
Madison looked very elegant. Her hair had turned a graceful white, and she now wore a light blue gown that sparkled as she moved. She wore diamonds and white opera gloves, and from her pale forehead emerged Dragonair's glistening horn. She had hopped down to the water daintily, and in one move threw her hands in the water. "Icicle!" She ordered, as she did so, her eyes and horn glowed.  
  
From her hands emerged crystals, starting on the surface of the water and spreading to underwater, soon overtaking the entire green river. It was too late for Ferah, who had been concentrating on Dominick. She had dove into the river, receiving plenty of scratches from the gravel. She pushed herself off the shallow underwater bed and tried to scramble backwards out of the river.  
  
As soon as Madison had finished the coast of the Ruby's hill, the rest of the team skid down and scrambled over the surface, separating and heading first for Captain Kaze.  
  
Ryan was the closest to Fox. He jumped up in a bound of red fury and grabbed Fox's vest collar, throwing him upward so he could jump upward and send his fist into his stomach. But Kaze quickly recoiled and jumped onto the ice in a kneel. However, he wasn't used to the surface, and slid down the river surface to the awaiting Falco. Falco came in with a kick downward, but Kaze rolled away.  
  
Ditching his plans to be one-on-one with Cassandra, Aaron went in to distract Mario from Kaze. Mario immediately turned his attention to Link, changing his direction with a yellow cloak, this way and that, like Link was a bull. Aaron got frustrated and decided to light a bomb, sending into the ground to catch wherever Mario might step. The bomb exploded a few seconds after impact, and the ice broke underneath Mario.  
  
"GOD!" He yelled. "IT'za COLD!"  
  
"You think?" Said Aaron trying to jab him with his sword as Ryan bobbed up and down, trying to get out, avoid Aaron, and not get trapped in the increasing ice at the same time.  
  
Cassandra ran past the imprisoned Ferah for Kaze. Ferah instead grabbed her naked ankle and pulled her down onto the ice. Cassandra rolled over onto her knees and shot out her foot, her heel slamming Ferah in the face. Ferah yelped and went for Cassandra's skirt. Cassandra moved her hip away and snatching a handful of Ferah's curly red locks.  
  
"Get... away!" Yelled Selena, opening her umbrella in Cassandra's face. Cassandra scrambled backwards and began conjuring up magic in her palms.  
  
Kaze was blocking blows from Falco, who was flaming and burning. Cassandra looked over at their fighting through rapid punches from Selena. "No fire you idiot!" The ice underneath him was melting, but since he kept jumping up and down it didn't melt fast enough. Also, Madison's constant presence kept the ice ever re-growing.  
  
"Hello, Ferrah." Said Madison in an annoyingly polite way, standing over Ferah from behind so her white hair veiled Ferah's sight of her members.  
  
Ferah gathered Madison's hair in her hands and yanked it like a rope. Madison hurled forward onto Ferah's feet. Ferah turned her body and tried to attain the Sword of Seals, which she had lost when she had tried to get back onto the surface, but at her trapped position she couldn't reach.  
  
Madison tumbled over and grabbed Ferah's face in cold, slim fingers. Electricity pumped through Ferah's body, suddenly awaking her numbing legs. She could hear Roy's pain as well. "Get the sword!" He yelled, amazed that she would have let such a sacred item out of her hands.  
  
"I'm... trying..." She said bitterly, reaching out her shaking hands. She couldn't reach, but grabbed a couple of gravel stones and threw them at Madison. Madison hit them away, but Ferah took the refuge to break out of the ice. She dashed past Madison's legs and picked up her sword. She jumped up and swooped down, bringing it down on Madison. It caught her on her shoulder, practically bare besides a silver satin scarf. The attack was successful and made a deep gash seconds before a small ball of fire shot her way.  
  
Madison stepped back, holding her shoulder. She looked down at strange blood of a strange white light. She saw numbers buzzing through the liquid as she shook it off her gloved hand.  
  
Ferah looked at her other attacker. The short-haired Zelda had broken through Selena's little protective screen for a short break and gone to help Madison. Selena got up from her daze and tackled her in a princess brawl, the two of them sliding on the ice.  
  
Madison returned her attention to Ferah, who was rubbing her neck where the fireball had hit. It had singed the front of Roy's cape, which she had patted on so it wouldn't alight. Madison growled and grabbed Ferah by the shoulders, slamming her onto the cold grassy hill and shoving her foot into her stomach. Ferah coughed the white liquid, and shoved the sword into Madison's unhealthily skinny stomach. Madison let go and backed up, frozen. She looked down at Ferah with a stiff upper lip, and then her figure began to blink. She collapsed onto the ground, her whole figure pale. The river's ice suddenly disappeared, and Falco, Fox, Daisy, Zelda, Link, and Mario disappeared in the water with a loud splash.  
  
Ferah took a few moments to catch her breath. "Good work." Commented Roy. Their attention was suddenly drawn to Aaron as he emerged from the water, then was quickly pulled under again. Ferah got up and held out her sword, but then realized... what could she do?  
  
"Let's go!" Pulled Roy, drawing her towards the water.  
  
"I... can't..." Resisted Ferah, trying to hold back. Her foot slid off the gravel and into the green water. She saw her reflection, then turned away.  
  
"He needs... your help..." Said Roy again, bringing up her sword. "You must... overcome your fears to help your teammates." He said, reading the emotions running through her mind.  
  
"Shut up." She said, gritting her teeth. _How corny._ "I can't swim!"  
  
"It doesn't matter! You can still help him!" He tried.  
  
"No I can't! I'll drown!" The growled. Was he an idiot?  
  
"No you won't!" He said. "Just hold your breath. You'll float."  
  
"Liar." She barked childishly, her fear blocking her common sense.  
  
"Me a liar? You said that you would go straight back to your chamber, but instead you loitered around past Pharae borders! I heard from Wolt that you went into the Kokiri trees and –"  
  
There was commotion above them, at Dominick and Nick. The friendly brown and white haired boy was now a pink, bubblegum-like creature with red sneakers, torturing Dominick on the starter platforms. "Gah!" Dominick yelled, trying to escape the clutches of Nick, who now looked just like MG. However, Nick was larger, and obviously at an advantage. They struggled on the two platforms, palm against palm, like they were playing Mercy at a different cost.  
  
Ferah tried to scramble up the hill, but it was too steep and she kept sliding back down. "Dominick! I'm... coming..." She lied. The grass she tried to get a hold of kept ripping out. From behind her, the black Fox emerged, in a ball of flame. Falco followed after quickly.  
  
Daisy, her crown and golf club in hand and her hair pressed flat against her back, crawled up on the Emerald coast, trying to heave herself up as she coughed up water.  
  
"Selena!" Ferah exclaimed, turning around. "We've got to help Dominick." Dominick didn't seem to have much of a chance. Ferah yanked Daisy up from the water by the back of her yellow dress. She heaved her over, placing her head on a plot of grass instead of the gravel. Daisy rested her hands on her rapidly rising and falling stomach.  
  
"I... think I got Zelda..." She murmured between much needed breath.  
  
"Good work." Said Ferah, pushing hair out of Selena's eyes carefully. "I got Madison." She said, looking down the coast, where Madison lay, lifeless. Her eyes were watching her, and they were angry.  
  
Selena looked up. "Give me a minute, I'll be back up in a second..."  
  
"No, stay here." Said Roy from inside Ferah. "We'll assist Dominick."  
  
Ferah nodded. "If we can get up there..." She said, looking up. In the sky, Falco was sending flaming kicks and punches down at Fox, who jumped up and down to avoid them. But he was grounded, a disadvantage. He pulled out her gun and started shooting Lasers at Falco.  
  
"You may not have to." Selena said as they watched Dominick's foot slide back, eventually running out of platform surface and sending both him and Nick tumbling off the edge. Ferah pushed off the gravel, nearly slipping, and went to where Dominick was falling. She held out her arms to comfort his fall.  
  
Dominick crashed into her, followed closely by Nick. All three of them slammed into the coast and tumbled into the water.  
  
---  
  
"Ferah!" Roy shouted from inside her. His voice rattled around her body. "Ferah!" He tried again.  
  
Where was the air? Ferah couldn't breath. Her body yearned for the surface, but Roy's armor was way too heavy. As soon as she gained control of her legs, she tried to at least touch the riverbed, but in the darkness couldn't find it.  
  
Her eyes shot open. She squinted, trying to make out what was going on. Everything was a strange brown... She realized she was caught in Roy's cape again, and slashed madly with the Sword of Seals. She made a large gash in the thin fabric and emerged from the cloak. Roy sighed and turned her head downwards.  
  
Ferah didn't understand. The river didn't seem like it would be so deep. It wasn't as deep as a lake, but much deeper than the average pond. She knew such a small arena had a catch...  
  
Roy immediately knew of her thoughts. "Pay attention! Look!" He lifted her right hand and pointed. Below, Nick was swimming her way. She struggled to get away, moving her arms and kicking rapidly, trying to escape and grab some air.  
  
Nick's hand grabbed the belt on her boot. Roy sheathed the Sword of Seals and Ferah threw off their armor and cloak at Nick. He knocked it off, letting them float peacefully towards the ground. Now in not much more than a shirt and skirt, she kicked Nick off with her free foot.  
  
Nick swam up to Ferah with a sudden burst of speed and grabbed Ferah in his arms. Ferah struggled, but his hold was strong. "What the hell!?" She bubbled, blushing as he rested his head on her shoulder. Bubbles tickled her ear. Then, suddenly, he let her go. She turned around, feeling somewhat in-whole.  
  
There, he was, the Sword of Seals drawn. He mirrored her, now looking like a childish young Roy. Ferah smiled back, a little astonished. She drew out her own sword to face him as her hair fluttered above her. Nick slashed forward and she dodged. Positions switched, Nick toggled the sword. It wouldn't alight.  
  
He looked at Ferah for an answer, and she shrugged, then waved goodbye. He looked up at her, and then realized he was sinking due to Roy's armor  
  
Ferah took the moment to dash upward, grabbing a breath of air. When she surfaced, she took a short glance around. Selena tried to help her up from the coast, but Ferah shook her head, took a deep breath, and then flipped back down to get Dominick.  
  
Underwater, Nick had thrown off his armor like Ferah. He broke surface right after Ferah went in, to take a deep breath of air. But Selena was ready, and with her golf club ready, made one great horizontal arc, parallel to the water. It struck the side of Nick's head, and before he could sink into the water she grabbed his shoulders and laid him onto the Emerald Shore to join Madison.  
  
Ferah kicked her legs downward and flailed her arms. Roy laughed in her head, but said nothing.  
  
"Can it." She said anyway. She could see Dominick on the riverbed below her, caught between some weeds, bubbles rising from his clothes and nose. He was definitely out.  
  
Suddenly, there was a burst of something that drove right into Ferah's stomach, now without armor. The energy burnt her stomach and slammed her onto the floor, skidding Ferah's back against underwater gravel. She was close to the shore, so she resurfaced and headed back down again.  
  
Cassandra emerged from the dark waters, swimming at Ferah as fast as she could. Ferah's breath was knocked out of her in shock and impact. "Nayru's Love!" Zelda bubbled. A blue swirl flew around her with radiant magic, sending shards of glass into Ferah's body. Her armor had been discarded, and now she was vulnerable. Ferah winced, bringing up her sword. But Cassandra was too fast, and an electrifying glitter sent buzzing pain through her muscles. Ferah did her best to keep in her air, puffing out her cheeks and then swallowing the air again.  
  
Roy rolled Ferah over, who was floating in a state of shock. She awoke, pushed off the ground and dove to where the water was deeper, but was at a lost from her lack of swimming skills. She hacked away at Cassandra madly with her sword, but failed to do any damage as Cassandra dodged every swish.  
  
Suddenly, Zelda stopped moving, shooting a blank glance, and her eyes widening. Ferah stared at her, wondering what had happened. When Cassandra finally gave out her air and floated to the surface, she saw Kaze's face on the other side. She let herself drift up and get some air, then passed Cassandra's body over to Kaze.  
  
"Where's Dominick?" He asked in a hurry, sweat matting the fur on his black forehead.  
  
"Just a moment..." Said Ferah, and went back under.  
  
Dominick still waited for her, wrapped in weeds. She reached out for him, but still couldn't grasp him. Her legs were now directly above her, trying to float her to the top.  
  
She kept flailing her arms and kicking her legs, to no avail.  
  
Roy sighed, taking one of her hands and placing it on the Sealed Sword. With one quick motion, he drove the tip of the sword into a pile of rocks, anchoring their body. Ferah used her other hand to grab Dominick and kicked upward, pulling out the sword with her.  
  
---  
  
Kaze and Link had joined together to fight Falco and Mario side by side. Aaron had been courteous and allowed Kaze to knock out both Falco and Mario, benefiting the team.  
  
Selena had gotten the kill for Nick, and Kaze the kill for Cassandra. Ferah was just satisfied to be out of the water, as well as knocking out Madison in the meantime.  
  
Dominick had awoken as soon as he had separated from MG. He said he could see Ferah and that she was smart to anchor herself. Ferah had told him it was Roy, whom she had separated from, but Roy had said nothing.  
  
The Emerald Team and the Ruby Team joined the other teams on the risers to watch the outcome of their matches in points. The Sapphire Team had won over the Amethyst Team by almost every member. Mr. Hirogawa seemed very proud of the teams as he took to the field again.  
  
"Good work everyone! Your skills are amazing and much more impressive than I had expected!" He laughed jollily. Ferah wondered if Japan celebrated Christmas. "But on to the matches. The winners of the Ruby / Emerald match is the Emerald Team." People clapped and patted the Emerald Team on their backs. Alice, from the lowest riser, smiled at Ferah. Ferah waved back. "The winners of the Sapphire / Amethyst match is the Sapphire Team."  
  
"As for the points...!" He pointed to the board. First, it flashed RUBY VS EMERALD. Then, it reveled a T-chart. At the top of each column was a Player on the Ruby Team. Underneath them filled points they earned, green for gained and red for lost.  
  
Madison received 40 pts for the freezing of the river, called "Elaborate Tactics". Ryan and Alex lost 5 pts each for them "Preying" on Kaze. Alex received good points for elaborate aerial attacks. Cassandra got "Underwater Acrobat" points for fighting Ferah underwater. However, she lost points for "Cowardice" when disappearing into the water for a long period of time. Worst of all, Cassandra lost a high 50 pts for feuding with Zelda. Nick didn't lose any personal points, but didn't gain any either. Their total scored was around 25 points.  
  
Then it flashed the Emerald Team. Ferah bit her lip. If they graded for issues with Avatars, then she would surely get marked down.  
  
The T-chart lit up, and Ferah searched for her name, which was actually Van. Kaze and Aaron received 30 pts each for fighting alongside each other, without preying on a certain opponent like Ryan and Alex. Aaron also got 15 pts for saving Selena from the ice. Selena received good marks for trying to help Ferah when she was trapped in the ice, and Ferah received points for trying to catch Dominick, as well as going for him while he was underwater. Dominick lost points for "Cowardice" as well. They all received "Underwater Acrobat", as well as 20 for handling their opponent's bodies with care. But two red marks under Ferah's name negated out a good portion of their score.  
  
_Feuding With Avatar... -50 pts   
Cowardice... - 50 pts_  
  
They were left with a total of 30 points. Because all points were variables of 5, they know they were just a hair above the Ruby Team. Kaze let out a sigh as the points were totaled up. People clapped anyway.  
  
He shot a glance at Ferah. Ferah looked away. She did not need Kaze to tell her that she messed up. But by looking away from Kaze, her attention was drawn to Roy. Roy looked on, aware that she was looking at him. He was upset about her lying and arguing, and losing points because of it didn't make her feel any better. She rubbed her forehead and sighed.  
  
Looking down, she saw Alice. Alice tried a weak smile at Ferah. Ferah shook her head, tuning out Hirogawa's speech and the scores of the other teams.  
  
---  
  
Ferah looked into her water, afraid that there might be bugs in it.  
  
"I might have said it's natural, but that doesn't mean it's dirty. It's pure, fresh, clean spring water." Sang Saria, pouring her more water from a clay jug.  
  
The three of them; Saria, Ferah, and Alice, were in Saria's tree-stump home, sitting on her bed and relaxing as the sun set. Ferah had been sure not to take the same path as before, so she wouldn't get attacked again. She sighed.  
  
Alice looked at her through her thick glasses. She had been patient so far, so they had not touched the topic of Ferah's arrival, but they needed to talk.  
  
"Tell me what happened." Saria spoke for Alice.  
  
Ferah looked at the water, dark from the clay mug surrounding it. With one quick swig, she chugged the water down and slammed the cup back down on her bare thighs.  
  
"You know, I haven't gotten the sword to light on fire yet." Said Ferah, changing the subject.  
  
"Ferah! Come on, I know you want to talk about it!" Said Saria demandingly, trying to cheer her up. "Well?"  
  
Ferah looked at Alice. Alice nodded. "...Remember... yesterday night?" Ferah began.  
  
"Yes." Alice nodded.  
  
"Well, I didn't lie when I said I was taking a walk. But I wasn't supposed to be. I had told Roy I would head straight home. We had a little fight over some things... He says he doesn't know why he's my Avatar and that he doesn't have time for this because he has to rule his kingdom... I wanted to clear my mind..." She paused. "So I went for a little walk. He was right to think it would be dangerous, you saw I wandered onto your training ground... But he found out I lied to him and now he doesn't trust me." She looked away, at the large clay jars by the walls. "And I don't trust him." She finished bitterly.  
  
Saria sat back down on her bed next to Ferah. "You should trust him. It will be easier to win the contest." She said simply.  
  
"I can't. He's so uptight and formal. And he's got his own life to worry about, why would he worry about mine? ...Argh!" She rubbed her hair, which she still hadn't put up in her pigtails.. "He's just like Van!"  
  
Alice looked at Saria's door. "Van... your brother?"  
  
Ferah nodded.  
  
"How did you deal with Van? You must have had to deal with him, since he is your brother."  
  
Ferah smiled, thinking of her dear brothers. "For a while, I'd just be quiet and sit on his bed while he played his video games. After he finally got sick of my silent presence, but didn't want to kick me out, we'd talk a little. He wouldn't be very interesting to talk to... But I went with it. And when he finally got his head out of his games, and actually wanted to do something with me, I would do whatever he wanted, go get a snack... play with his dog... Until he finally cared enough to ask me what I wanted to do. Then we would hang out like friends." Ferah leaned over and held her face in the palm of her hands.  
  
"Then maybe that's what you've got to do with Roy." Began Alice. "Maybe stop thinking of yourself and about him instead." She knew that saying Ferah was absorbed in her own problems was rude, but it was the truth.  
  
Ferah nestled her cheek into her hands. She knew what Roy wanted. He wanted to rule his kingdom and protect his people. But how could she let him do that, when she needed him to win this contest? So far, calling him out just to train and fight had worked. It's not like she wanted to bond with him, like Daisy and Selena. But that's how it begins, a partnership. A friendship.  
  
Suddenly, Ferah stood up. Alice was afraid she might have offended her, and opened her mouth to say something. But Ferah just smiled at the two of them as Plui circled her in light. "I'll think on it. I'll see you later, okay?" She waved, and turned her Chip Box.  
  
XXX  
  
Yay for boring and or confusing chapters!  
  
Special thanx to my Editor, XaNGrR. And to Sotashi Tajiri, the genius who created Pokemon. It's like crack, man. So fucking addicting.  
  
-SK 


	4. White Stranger

_Konichiwa._

_YouJustGotRapedInTheTooth: I know you aren't a new reader, but you are just so sweet! - I'm so glad you like this story.  
__Daikoran the BlackIce Kitsune: Woot. What up? It's always good to here from another kitsune, especially another black one. BlackIce sounds positively **dangerous**. Mmm..._

_Sorry for the slow update. Laptop was completely screwed up, and still is now... Internet is sometimes accessible, sometimes not. And the upstairs computer has no Internet, for like, the thirty-hundredth time this month. Also... I've been having problems with the story. Confusion and regret... oh well._

_NOTE(S):  
_- I realized I have screwed up the timeline. I wanted this story to be somewhat into the future, like, four years later. Subtly. Obviously, that didn't really work. Why:  
1) _Selena was playing Pokemon Fire Red, which is released in September, on the DS, which is released... sometime later. Pokemon Fire Red is actually for the normal GBA, not DS.  
2) __Dominick was playing Halo. So if this WAS in the future, then he wouldn't be playing Halo, he would be playing Halo 2, which is to be released in November 9th. (SIDE NOTE: "In four year there will probably be another Pokemon and MAYBE another Halo." – XaNgrrR) The day before my birthday! Woot, finally, I'll be fourteen. XD_

_- Is listening to "Together We Ride" (FE) SSBM Remix -_

XXX  
Chapter 4: White Stranger  
XXX

A strange, cold pain filled Ferah's mind, and her eyes shot open. She rolled over. The feather-down pillow underneath her dark hair had cold sweat soaked in. Fern immediately awoke with her, and mewed softly, purring. It plopped itself on her lap and rolled over. Ferah stroked her rumbling neck.

Sleepily, Ferah stepped into the Emerald main room, a little shaken, even after her cold shower. She was a bathroom singer, for she had always felt the pitter-patter of water had always synched with the melody in her mind, but this morning she could manifest no words. She had had a shadowy nightmare where Roy was trying to kill her with the Sword of Seals... And she couldn't run. Before his sword had made contact with her chest, she had woken up.

The other members of the Emerald Team sat at the square table. The sliding door next to them was open, leading out into the loud New York streets.

Ferah yawned. Why did she always wake up last? "Hey guys. What's up?" She asked, taking a seat on the nearby couch, then leaning back so she could see the others.

"Hi." Said Dominick casually, but didn't continue.

"Good morning Ferah." Said Selena, beaming as usual. "We were just... discussing yesterday's match."

Ferah's good-natured smile left her face. "Oh. Continue then." She said, more of a demand in case they intended to stop talking now that she was there. She bitterly remembered Kaze's glare after their score had been added up after their first match.

"Well..." Selena began, looking at Aaron. He motioned wordlessly towards Ferah. Selena looked back at Ferah, a twitch on her lips.

"Well?" Insisted Ferah softly.

Selena's eyes darted to Kaze, who was leaning back in his chair. He turned his face to Ferah. "Ferah, we decided your not fighting in our next match." He said simply.

Ferah suddenly stood up, her mouth slightly ajar as if she had something to say, but no phrase made itself clear. She shook her head, searching Selena's reluctant face, Dominick's sad stare.

"I already talked to Hirogawa. He said it's a good idea." Kaze continued, rubbing it in. Ferah wasn't sure it was intentional or not.

She swallowed and looked at Kaze. It was... a smart choice. Regardless if she was fighting or not, the team could still win, and therefore continue on in the contest. However, her shoulders still drooped.

There was a knock at the suite door. Ferah was the closest, so she got up to open it. A bellboy came in, pushing a cart of cereal boxes and bowls with him. "Breakfast." He said. Ferah took the cart, and he closed the door behind her with the tip of his oval hat.

Kaze returned his attention to the table. "Other reasons we lost points were because of Dominick's fear of heights. After breakfast, I suggest we all concentrate hard on training today."

Ferah scratched her forehead. Why didn't they keep her in and put Dominick out? Probably because she lost more points than he did.

* * *

"Mr. Hirogawa wanted to see you." Reminded Selena as she squeezed chlorine-smelling water from her hair. The Emerald Team had made good use of their time with the pool that Hirogawa had added.

"Yeah, I know." Ferah hadn't bothered to summon Roy. He couldn't help her swim, however badly. She rubbed her hair with an ivory towel, not caring to which direction her hair was flipped.

Selena whiffed her blonde hair. "Meh." She made a face. "I'm taking a shower. I'll put Fern in our room."

"Hurry up then. We've got a match later." Said Aaron as he swooped to put his arm around Ferah. He had been her swimming 'instructor', although mostly all he did was push her into the water and told her to stop flailing. Ferah shrugged his arm off.

"I have water up my nose." She complained in a nauseated voice.

"Payback for torturing me with your cat." Said Aaron as he grabbed his sweater and pulled it over his head, finding short white strands of fur all over the black hood.

* * *

Hirogawa waited for her, not looking too pleased. She stood in front of him while the Players rushed behind her, taking a seat on the risers again.

She nodded her head in a short bow. "Hi." She said as Selena rushed by, giving her a pat on the back.

"Hello." He said, nodding to an executive as he walked away. "Your Team Captain and I have had a little discussion, and as I'm sure you already know that you will not be fighting in the next match."

Ferah nodded, her brown-black pigtails swishing lightly.

"As only fair, the other team will have one of their members sit out. Now, you aren't the only one who has had trouble with your Avatar, but there has only been two of you."

Ferah looked up. _Cassandra, _she remembered. _Joy._

"Yes," He said, reading her face, "Cassandra of the Ruby Team. I have talked to her already, and I have a proposition for you." He scratched the unshaven whiskers on is broad chin. "There is a Player on the Sapphire Team who has suggested he help you two." He nodded. "The one called Trent."

"Has Cassandra agreed to do it?" Asked Ferah, looking up so she could properly read the emotions on Hirogawa's face.

"She doesn't know yet. I suspect she is waiting for your answer." He replied.

"I'll do it, then." Said Ferah, thinking strategically of learning of Trent's fighting abilities. She nodded to conclude her thoughts. "Yeah."

"Good. I'm sure the other girl will agree then, too." He called over his Assistant. "The Emerald Team will indeed be fighting today. After it has been announced who they will fight against, please lead Ferah to the audience seats." He said, addressing both of them. He turned to leave.

"Oh." She said, stepping forward. "Hirogawa-Sensei, do you remember when I was late?" She started, her thoughts pulling back to the kid in the computer room.

"Yes?" He asked, turning around.

She paused. "Nevermind." Ferah turned around and joined her team on the risers.

Hirogawa stood on the pitcher's mound. "Welcome, once again, to LilyWaters Park. The same rules and guidelines apply the same as before." He said, watching as an anchorwoman broke through the crowd with her cameraman so she could properly catch Hirogawa.

"Let us skip to today's matches." He said, nodding. "Today we have... The Sapphire Team versus the Ruby Team, and the Emerald Team versus the Topaz Team. Because a Player of the Emerald Team will be sitting out today's match, we would like the captain of the Topaz Team to pull out one of their players."

Once again, the kids rushed to their teams, instantly inspecting their opponents. Ferah got up, waving goodbye to Selena, and hopped off the risers. _Good luck!_ She mouthed, and met up with the executive.

After a few minutes, Alice emerged from the huddled shoulders of the Topaz Team and approached Ferah and executive. "I'll be sitting out today." She said in her quiet, hidden voice.

"Why?" Said Ferah, as the executive nodded and led the girls towards a few chairs by an arena.

Alice turned her gaze to Ferah. "What do you mean?"

They took seats, and the executive went back to attend to the fighting teams and where the were to be led. "You should totally be fighting." Said Ferah.

Alice closed the gap in between her thighs with tiny hands. "It's okay. It's not a big deal."

"But...but I saw you. You were great." Ferah continued, remembering Saria's arrows as they one-by-one struck every root monster.

"Like I said. It's really not that important." Alice said. "The others need more experience than I do. I took archery classes." She looked down, trying to see her Avatar Band from under her chin. She gave it a light tap. "Saria...?" She asked. In a whir of fog, Saria appeared next to her quickly. Ferah smiled at Saria, who smiled back as they all turned to look at the fray.

Behind the wire fences, Ferah could not quite see the Emerald Team as they stood on their platforms. The fray was mostly made of chunky soil plateaus and rocks. It was larger than the first arena, but did not provide much cover other than a few large bushes.

Ferah still felt betrayed. She needed to be more like Alice, calm and collected. Maybe Roy would like Alice better than her. Saria wasn't so bad, actually, she was quite fun. Maybe they could trade... she shrugged the idea off. Regardless of her problems with the prince, she was growing fond of him.

"Aren't you going to summon Roy?" Asked Alice.

"No." Said Ferah, ending the topic before Saria could voice her opinions.

Ferah leaned over. She could see the Topaz Team much better, because they were on a lower plateau than ground level. Standing on their individual starter platforms, there was a large, burly boy she recognized as Bruce from dinner sessions. He summoned next to him Bowser. Next to the captain there was a little girl, barely half his size, sporting overalls and brown hair in pigtails. Next to her was a violet-hooded figure wearing enclosed-finger gloves. A Greek, giggly girl stood next to her, fawning over the younger girl to make sure she was ready for their first match. In her free arm she carried a pink blob, whom Ferah mistook as another Kirby character. And besides the slim girl was a boy name Eric, who hadn't summoned his character yet.

The announcer took his microphone to his mouth, and Ferah watched the light high above the layer plateaus. The members of the Topaz Team turned their gaze to the stoplight-resembling box.

"On my mark... 5...4...3...2..."

The last digit was not heard, as Bruce voiced his power loudly and with vigor, striking surprise into Selena and making her late. Scott was last to step from his platform, but this was his personal tactic.

Seven Players dove into the underbrush, some faster than others. A blur of black fur dashed behind the tree and slunk down. Selena took to the highest platform, pulling out a turnip from the ground. Ferah remembered that during training, Dominick had tried to eat one. At the moment he followed Link.

Bruce did not bother to be sneaky, but bore his claws, thick and steel-resembling, unlike Fox's canines. He took a deep breath, filling his cheeks with fresh air, and released the air in a solid ray. Fire burst from his lips, engulfing the bushes. Bruce laughed mischievously, watching as the dancing flames jumped from bush to bush, waves plummeting through the grass and rapidly climbing trees. Kaze jumped back as the fire swept towards them, grabbing Dominick and jumping high.

Ferah could hear barely hear them yelling. "How do we get rid of this?" Hollered Aaron as he moved away from a small tree. A crisp branch collapsed towards him, but he slashed it away with his the Master Sword.

"I don't know." Said Kaze, landing neatly on his slim feet in a crouch. Dominick pushed Kaze's arm away as he noticed the young girl, Claire, emerge from the bushes. In her gloved-hands she held a large, ice pick, with a gleaming point. She slammed it down near Dominick, and as it hit the earth and buried its point, she struggled to get it out.

Dominick saw his chance and pulled out his whip, a long coiled, rope of black from the palm of his hand. He slapped it around a crumbling tree and hurled it towards her, catching her and slamming her into the fence, hiding her in flames and leaves.

"Ouch." Winced Selena, surprised from his reckless tactics as Aaron congratulated Dominick. The flames had not reached her yet, and they seemed to be slowing. Someone jumped from behind her. It was Stephanie, in a poofy dress of white, shadowed in pink.

Selena twirled. "Bomber!" She said, and swerved her hip around, slamming into Stephanie in a small burst of flame. Stephanie flew into the air, but majestically recoiled and simply floated in the air, the multi-layers of her skirt billowing. She dusted off her brown boot, which had gotten black from the impact.

"Gah!" Murmured Selena in disappointment, chucking the turnip her way. Stephanie caught it, and hurled it back, missing badly. Both of the girls laughed as they moved into martial arts offensive and defensive positions.

Bruce, slow and strong, made his way through the burning underbrush. He was obviously fire proof, unlike most of the Players in action. Kaze put his own speedy advantage to use, dashing through the flames and coming down on Bruce with a direct kick. Bowser rolled backward on and into his shell, shoving deep spikes into the earth, then rolled over again. He bore his claws, and brought them down on Kaze, leaving a trail of white-blue behind in the air.

Ferah shrieked. Alice noticed her apparent shock but was watching another pair duel. Under the flaming tree, ice had begun to grow from underneath, curving around the tree and up the boundary gates. Slowly and steadily the ice was able to stop the flames and crystallize the tree. With a shot of strange, purple lightning-like energy, the tree exploded sending ice crystals at Link. He bore his shield, covering his face, but was slashed along his legs. Scott helped up little Claire, his hands still burning with energy.

Selena struggled to land anything on Stephanie, who floated freely in the air. Daisy opened her white umbrella and jumped off the platform, trying to reach her, but Stephanie moved teasingly out of reach. She opened her mouth slightly, and began to sing. She started softly, then began to increase and speed up. Selena's hand slipped from her umbrella, and she dropped to the ground. The umbrella floated off.

Now on the ground, the fire surrounded Selena, who's rhythmic breathing and lightly closed eyes showed she was slumbering. Ferah stood up, ringing her fingers around the wire. "Selena!" She yelled, but Selena was too far away. Nobody in the fray heard her over the flames.

Aaron looked around nervously for Kaze, who seemed to have disappeared into the deeper part of the flames. They were now outnumbered. Bowser slowly made his way across the arena and Scott helped Claire regain confidence and stability.

Stephanie saw that Claire was hurt, and immediately abandoned Selena, whom she was sure would be soon taken care of by the flames. She swooped over and picked up Claire by the under arms and flew higher so Claire could have a haven from the flames.

Scott and Bruce came forward for Aaron and Dominick. Aaron brought his sword into battle stance, holding over his head, his shield protecting his chest. Dominick pulled out his whip again, and as he lashed it up and over, caught Stephanie by the ankle. It curled around her calf and Dominick yanked her down, slamming her frail body into the earth. Aaron slipped his sword into the sheath on his back and pulled out his bow and arrows, firing them at Claire and Stephanie. Their fallen figures blinked, and paled out.

Ferah cheered, but her cheering disappeared quickly, as Nick rushed in, power glowing along his arms. He looked strange to have such power, with a striped shirt and a cap. But she couldn't watch. If Kaze had only let her in... She looked for Selena, instead and saw a strange, white figure hovering over her body.

"What is that?" Said Ferah out loud, over the roar of fire and the audience.

"What?" Asked Saria.

"Look! There's somebody over by Selena." Said Ferah, trying to get a better perspective. But they were on a high and tree-covered platform, so she could not make out quite was going on.

"I... I don't see anybody." Said the short Saria, straining as she jumped up and down to see what was bothering Ferah.

Ferah thought quickly, retrieving her cellphone from her wristlet-purse. She flipped it open, and quickly cycling through the main menu, adjusted it so she could take a picture. She backed up, trying to keep the white figure in focus. It looked like a formally dressed man, but she wasn't sure. Carefully, she took a backwards step on her seat. Someone in the crowd insisted she sat down, but she still couldn't see.

She narrowed her green eyes, trying to move the frame of her cellphone to see the figure, holding it up above her head. The white figure, she saw, twirled something around, and the flames on Selena's platform flickered and disappeared into the air. By the moving of yellow, Ferah assumed Selena was awakening. She clenched her teeth and strained her arm, knowing that the white figure would probably leave.

An executive moved from his post amongst the audience to silence the crowd that was being angered by Ferah. "Please." He said behind her. "Sit down!" He approached her to pick her off the risers, but Ferah was suddenly sparked with an idea.

"Roy!" She yelled, and immediately, a burst of mist emerged from her neck. It swirled behind her, pushing away the executive. Roy solidified on the ground behind her, but before he could investigate, Ferah spoke first. "Survival!" She yelled, and Roy disappeared into her.

With Roy's seventeen-year-old height and his ability to jump higher than a normal person, Ferah took her picture of the white figure as it dared to glance at the commotion. With what seemed to be a malicious sneer, it disappeared.

Ferah dropped back onto her seat, almost stumbling. She shoved her cellphone into her pocket as the contents of her open purse dropped onto the ground. She sighed. "Survival." She said, as she saw Selena try to help Dominick, the only ones left.

Roy emerged from near her, almost falling on Saria. "Care to explain?" He asked royally as Ferah swooped to the floor, trying to pick up the spilt contents. She grabbed her keys, then a small pack of sewing needles.

"Oh. I just needed the extra height." She said shallowly, then stood up abruptly, rubbing her eye. She heard the announcer exclaim his excitement for the match as it ended. Roy turned to look at the stage on fire.

"We're not..." He began, recognizing that the Emerald Team was in there without them.

"Yes, I know. It was a team choice... because of..." She felt better, knowing that Roy felt the same way too.

He released air and slumped. "It makes sense, I suppose." He said. Somewhere in him it was programmed that he should be out there, fighting, winning. Dismay showed through his eyes.

"It does. Although, it looks like they lost, anyway." Said Ferah sadly. "But more importantly... I'm sorry about lying to you." She began in a rush of words. "I hate the fact I just met you and I've already lied to you. This is going to be a rather short contest if we can't... work things out. Zelda and Cassandra are having problems too. We're supposed to meet a Player to settle things. Be there?"

He nodded. "Alright." It didn't satisfy him, either, that they were fighting each other like their opponents.

* * *

Regardless of losing, Ferah felt a little joyous when the team retired to the suite.

Kaze was especially disturbed, and went straight to his room. Ferah knew she would not see Kaze for a little while, as the dark were prone to do.

Ferah shrugged, and poured a glass of water for Selena, Dominick, and Aaron. The two boys slumped into the couch, Dominick instantly beginning to sleep. Aaron chugged down the water and slammed it down on the TV table, but it did not awaken Dominick. "That was _horrible._" He said, sighing hoarsely.

"Hey, you guys _did_ take out Claire and Stephanie." Said Ferah, trying to uplift the mood of the room.

"Yeah, but they're just chicks." Whined Aaron, falling back onto the couch, landing half-way on Dominick's body, which was curled into a ball around a pillow.

"Oh, well, _thanks._" Said Selena bitterly. Ferah followed the emotion, but let it pass. She turned to Selena.

"So, like, Selena... I saw this really weird thing happen during the match..." She shifted through her purse, looking for her cellphone. She pulled it out, flipped it open, and began searching through her photos for the one of the white stranger. She smiled, seeing pictures of dresses and blouses she and her friends had made together.

There was a knock at the door. Selena got up to get it. "More room service?" She asked, looking around for a reason.

It was Cassandra. "Hell no." She said, and welcomed herself in. Sporting a look that did, Ferah was forced to realize, work for her, she wore her flattop hat over her short, bristly, blonde hair. Her clothes were a loose brown blouse over a white tanktop, capris, and black-band scandals.

"Oh." Said Ferah, surprised that Cassandra had chosen to partake in their meetings, especially when she knew Ferah was coming. Quickly she pocketed her cellphone and went to slip on her black scandals. "I'll show you later then, Selena. I've got those sessions... or whatever, with Trent." She said.

Selena nodded. "Alright, then. I'll see you later." She winked, trying to remind Ferah to examine Trent carefully. Ferah didn't notice and waved goodbye to Aaron and Selena, then closed the door softly behind her.

Cassandra slid her hands in the back pockets of her pants. "Trent says he wants to meet us at the Library. It's not too far from here." Slung around her elbow was her purse. Reading Ferah's thoughts, she added, "Hirogawa told me I wasn't to leave the hotel unless with at least one other person." She seemed to be sour towards Ferah even more than before, probably for losing their match.

Ferah nodded. She certainly hoped Cassandra didn't end up in her Trinity.

They took the elevator down, and left out through the lobby's glass doors. The air and sound hit them at full force.

Cassandra sighed, and walked out towards the street, onto the sidewalk. Ferah followed after, both of them silent. Walking through graffiti walled buildings, litter, and communities of home-less people, they eventually made their way to the Library. They turned the corner, passing through a small room that was in-between the Library entrance and the doorway.

Trent was waiting for them, leaning on a research table. He had dark, curly locks around his eyes, and wore a blue, crisply ironed shirt over a white, long-sleeve blouse, and loose pants. He looked relaxed, although he was surrounded by people asking him questions, mostly gamers and journalists.

Ferah pushed herself through the crowd, unintentionally pulling some attention towards herself. She looked behind the small gathering, waiting for Cassandra to come through herself.

"Look, they've got the necklaces too!" Said somebody.

Ferah stood next to Trent, pushing someone out of the way to do so. He waved a peaceful hand as Cassandra joined them.

"Ugh. Please tell me we aren't going to be staying here." Said Cassandra, pushing somebody away disgustfully.

"I suppose we could head to Atruia after this... Hirogawa lent me this," He pulled out a small black adapter box from his zipper pockets.

"Atruia?" Asked both Cassandra and Ferah.

"Marth's kingdom." Said Trent matter-of-factly, then led them through the crowd towards a collection of desks and computers. A few Policemen arrived and moved the crowd away from Trent and the girls, so that they could do their work in peace.

"So, what is it you want us to do?" Asked Cassandra quietly, humbled by Trent's easy and carefree attitude.

He took a chair from one of the computer desks and turned it around, sitting down backwards in it. "I want you to research your characters." He said, one of his curls falling over his even darker eyes.

"What?" Asked Cassandra. "Why? I already know all I need to know about Zelda. She's a princess. Gets saved by Link. What else is there to know?"

Trent's eyes sparkled as information spilled from his mouth. "Did you know she's from Hyrule, and holds the Triforce of Wisdom? Or that her main attacks are magic, summoned from the three goddesses of the Triforce; Nayru, Faore, and Din? Or maybe you knew that already. So, did you know that when Link wants to talk to her, he plays Zelda's Lullaby on his ocarina? Or that she gives Link the Golden Arrow, of which to defeat the dark entity Ganondorf, whom holds the Triforce of Power? Whom is the only male Daruda?" He paused. "Have you even played The Legend of Zelda series?"

Cassandra was speechless, but her mouth loosed. "I played the one for Nintendo 64, and another for the Gameboy."

"And for how long? How far did you get?" He seemed saddened that a regal princess such as Zelda would be gifted to this total n00b.

"I got...well, I don't really remember." She said, very quietly.

Ferah hadn't played Fire Emblem even once. She tried to shrink backwards to where Trent couldn't criticize her.

He turned his attention to Ferah as she let out her air. "So." He began. "What do you know about Fire Emblem?"

"Nothing." Ferah said immediately, shaking her head and keeping her mouth tight. She would not buckle under Trent's experience like Cassandra had.

"You don't know anything about your characters, so you can't connect with them or understand who they are," He paused. "As a _person._ So, then..." He twirled his fingers, and girls turned around to the computers. Ferah took a seat in the sliding chairs, as well as Cassandra.

"Find out as much information about your Avatars as you can. It would be even useful to find information about the other characters in their games and the story lines... history... whatnot. After that we can head to Atruia and talk with your Avatars."

He leaned over to Ferah's seat. "Remember. Marth and Roy are from the same game _series, _not the same game. Marth is from Thracia 667, and Roy is from Fuuin no Tsurugi." He straightened back up. "I'll be back later. I'm going to find some video game magazines with information on the two games." He left.

Ferah breathed deeply, stretching her fingers over the keyboard. She looked at Cassandra, and Cassandra shrugged.

* * *

Ferah shuffled through the papers she had printed out, using her hand to shadow her eyes from the Atruian sun. Unlike Pharae, Atruia was much larger, it's walls a sandy, tannish cream, and filled with more people, most of which weren't soldiers, like Pharae. One such child ran past her, laughing.

She stopped trying to align her papers and plopped them on to her pile of Nintedo Power back-issues, and scooted back on the stone. She rubbed her eyes. This was so confusing... All she could find was information on Rekka no Ken, the first Fire Emblem game to be released in the US, as well as Trail of the Blue Sword, one that was soon to come out on Gamecube. Stuff about the Scourging, about an exiled prince...

Ferah moaned. That wasn't right.

"Oh, you've got it easy." Complained Cassandra, flipping through a small guide-book on her lap. "We both have a timeline, but in all of mine, there is _always _a Zelda. And there's a bunch of questionable crap in here, too." She threw her print-outs into the air. "Stuff like, maybe Link wasn't even an elf to begin with, and maybe he's had a linage or it's a tradition to name a boy Link." She took off her brown hat and placed it on her knee, wiping sweat from her forehead.

Before their feet was a small, clear pond, and across from them, Trent and Marth were explaining things to Roy and Zelda.

Marth was a lot like Roy, but different as well. They were both princes, for starters, and both had outrageously colored hair. Not that a redhead is rare, but one of Roy's perfectly Macintosh-apple hair was obviously unrealistic, regardless of how real it seemed. Marth's hair was a dark navy, matching the appropriate Sapphire Team blue of his armor. He also seemed to be a little older, and a little more battle-wise than Roy.

On Zelda's pink lap was a laptop, of which she was using to find out information about Cassandra. Roy sighed in boredom, soaking in the setting sun. He wasn't able to find out any personal information from the disks, only information about Van.

Ferah and Cassandra abandoned their articles and ads to join their Avatars. Ferah slipped and sat down next to Roy cheerfully, bringing her knees up to her chest. Cassandra bent over.

"My name's not 'Cassie'. That's incorrect." Said Cassandra, leaning over, hovering over Zelda's elven ears.

"Yes, I like Cassandra better." Said Zelda. She brushed back a lock of hair, a golden bracelet on her wrist glimmering.

"Oh, I like that." Said Cassandra, inspecting further. It was obvious how they were trying to be nicer to each other, in front of Trent and Marth. They watched, nonchalant.

"Here." Said Zelda. She slipped it off and handed to Cassandra.

Cassandra fiddled with it. Zelda helped her. "This is how you get it on..."

Ferah snorted. Cassandra's infatuation with Trent was obvious, and maybe Zelda was trying to act more angelic around Trent. She stood up and moved closer to the shore of the pond, watching the strangely-shaped fish slip through the water.

Roy sat next to her, breathing deeply. "I don't know anything about you." He began, quiet so that the others couldn't hear him.

"I don't know anything about you, either." Said Ferah. She made a face. "Other than... some random junk..." She tried painfully to piece information together.

He smiled, his gaze at the water. "It's okay. You should come back to Pharae some time. Hopefully it will be better than your last visit."

"Yeah... sorry and all that." Ferah said quietly.

"Survival." Said Trent from behind, whispering carefully as Zelda and Cassandra continued their skit. A blur of smoke was followed by the _shink _of a sword being unsheathed.

Roy rolled and unsheathed his own sword and they clashed loudly and wiftly, inches away from Ferah's shoulder closest to Roy. He released air as Ferah scooted stared at Trent.

"I've gotten rather bored." Said Trent cheerfully.

* * *

In a silky maneuver of blue, Trent swung the Falchion through the air in swooping arcs, clattering against Roy's Sword of Seals. No longer trying to understand each other, the three Players had decided to spar.

Ferah twirled and maneuvered her feet to Roy's beating heart, although she could see in her mind that he was sitting peacefully in silence. She had not known until now that they could read each other's thoughts, and they didn't need to yell at each other out loud.

Marth moved in again. Trent in her opinion was attractive, but as a prince, even more so. Cassandra also looked very elegant, in a pink and gold dress. Customized, the dress was no longer a gown but was at knee-length, and her hair was in a half-ponytail, still as short as Cassadra's chin-length.

Trent was using Marth's speed to dangerously decrease their reaction time. Fortunately, without the cape and the armor, Ferah had an easier time moving. However, Roy's thoughts unintentionally reminded her that the armor was very useful.

Holding her left arm outward to balance her on Roy's thick boots, she swung around and dashed forward, air blowing through their stiff tunic. She had unbuttoned it slightly so it was more appealing to a girl's shape.

Her opponent dodged and their blades made contact, a loud _clang_ ringing through the courtyard. They dislodged, moved backwards, and shot forward again, Marth jumping high and Roy holding the blade in both naked-finger hands to block it.

Grounded again, Trent's blade dashed by her side, and Ferah bent over backwards, trying to avoid it. Her foot slid against Trent's, and she fell backwards, her hair drooping and nearing the dark-watered pond. Trent turned around, and one-handedly, caught her. She took a brief moment of recognition, then shot back up, slashing the sword point towards the deep sky.

The sword missed his head just slightly, gracing his ear. "That's the closest anyone's ever gotten to me." He said, smiling and narrowing his eyes. In an awkward silence he held her, while Ferah fondled for something to say. Nothing coming to mind, she stood upright and sheathed the sword as a soft beeping emitted from her cellphone, marking the hour.

"I should probably go now." Said Ferah, separating from Roy and walking over to the stone pillar where Cassandra and Zelda were resting. She picked up her wristlet purse and rattled through some things, then pulled out her cellphone. It was 6 PM. "Dinner is in half an hour." She said. The hotel provided breakfast and dinner.

"Oh, good." Said Cassandra, standing up. "Let's go."

Trent nodded. "I'll see you later, Lord Marth. I'm pulling a team early training session tomorrow morning on the Platform."

Marth nodded. "Alright. Don't forget to tell Mischa to bring more practical shoes." He left to enter the castle.

Ferah snapped incoherently. She had completely forgotten to pay attention to Trent's fighting style, as well as Cassandra's. She tried to remembered that whomever Mischa was, that she was not skilled with her feet.

Ferah waved goodbye as Zelda and Roy disappeared, vanishing in red and green smoke.

"See you at dinner." Said Trent casually, a gentleman in a modern-day way.

Cassandra nodded. "Mmhmm." She said, frowning in a pouty way, her idea of being flirty. She disappeared.

Trent turned to Ferah. "Tomorrow, we should train together more. You being a swordswoman makes you an excellent sparring partner. And you are better than you think."

"Um, yeah... sure, okay." Said Ferah. There were only three swordsman in UberSSBM; Marth, Link, and Roy. "Good thinking. Sayonara."

XXX

Crappy chapter. Er... oops?

And before you ask yourself if this is going to be a Mary Sue, listen here; it's not. And yes, Ferah is a lot like me, but no, I'm not living through her. For starters, I am much more hyper and musically gifted than her. XP

This Fanfict would be a lot better as a Manga, me thinks. I should... nah.

Special thanx to my Editor, XaNGrrR.

- SK


	5. Black Daisies

_Konichwa._

_Daikonran the BlackIce Kitsune: So, if you're dangerous, do you like, explode spontaneously every few hours?_

_Princess Fruity: Um... okay. Thanx. I greatly appreciate your support._

_YouJustGotRapedInTheTooth: I guess I could write the Manga. I have character designs for Ferah, Madison/Dragonair, Cassandra/Zelda, Ferah/Roy, and Alice/Saria that I will try my hardest to get up Deviant once I get a new scanner, or fix the one I have. I've been meaning to draw some sort of Manga, but I have troubles drawing action scenes and scenery. Plus, I'd really need a Photoshop program to fill in tones._

_NOTE(S):_

_- I got a kitten. Just incase you wanted to know. I call him Pancake. . _

_- I screwed up the matches. I always screw stuff up, eh? Here's the update:_

_Match) Team/Team: Winning Team_

_Emerald/Ruby: Emerald. Sapphire/Amethyst: Sapphire._

_Ruby/Amethyst: Amethyst. Topaz/ Emerald: Topaz. (Ferah "Roy" and Alice "Saria" on standby)_

XXX

Chapter 5: Black Daises

XXX

Roy awoke late, or at least late for him. Daybreak had been a few hours ago, much to his discomfort. He grabbed his headband off his bedpost and rustled it into his red hair, then leaned over a bowl of water at his bedside and washed his face.

There was a knock at his thick wooden double-doors. He adjusted his tunic and straightened his pants, to appear that he had been awake this entire time. "Come in." He ordered.

Marcus walked through the door in his sturdy, saddle-sore way and kneeled lightly, then straightened. "My Lord! Have you been asleep this entire time?"

"Er..." Roy paused, and looked out his open window, void of any type of glass or drapery. "Of course not. I was sitting here enjoying the view of the land." He sighed.

Wolt entered the room, much less formally than old Marcus. He was a young blonde boy, around Roy's age. In his hand he dragged his quiver, full of arrows. "My Lord." He said.

Roy cringed as Wolt said those words. Roy had grown up, day by day, with Wolt as his side, like brothers. Roy didn't like the idea of being Wolt's superior, but Wolt refused to call him anything else. After failing to keep him from calling him his Lord, Roy had just begun to ignore it, however slowly. He suddenly realized that his discomfort with his title was synonymous with Ferah's. It made sense, he felt Ferah was practically a superior, and immediately began calling her "Lady".

"Good morning." Said Roy. He looked on his table for his pauldrons and other armor, but they were still gone from his match with Ferah. He suddenly regretted inviting her when he knew that trouble was amuck in Elibe.

"Well, yes, my Lord, good morning. You have a visitor." He said. "A rather young maid."

Roy looked up, putting down a black cloak he was about to don, a quizzical look passing through his face. He flipped it over and placed it around his neck. Wolt turned to lead Roy to the visitor, but Marcus intervened. "You have a training session with Cecilia today, and I suggest you prepare for the visit of Lady Lilina..."

Roy nodded, his head struggling between UberSSBM, his training with Cecilia, and his Lady Lilina.

"It's the girl. Farlah?" Said Wolt, as the turned the Pharaen halls, passing through the kitchen and out into the courtyard.

"I think it's Ferah, actually." Said Roy. He hadn't heard her name much, but he was sure it was something with a _rah_ sound.

Ferah was sitting down on a thick post of the small Pegusas stable fence, dressed in her high-top sneakers, shorts, and a Sakura floral t-shirt. On her lap was his armor.

By her side was the aging Rebecca, Wolt's red-brown haired mother. She frowned disapprovingly as she saw Roy approach. "You've awoken quite late today." She said.

Ferah got up, passing the heavy armor to Rebecca and curtsying as Rebecca had told her how merely a few minutes before. "Good morning, Lord Roy." She said stiffly, then before she fell, collapsed back down onto the post.

"Lady Ferah?" He asked, stepping forward, then turned to Wolt. "You wouldn't let her in the castle? I told you Lady Ferah was to be a guest..."

"Actually, she said she preferred to be outside." Whispered Wolt, shrugging.

He was right. She needed to be able to come and go easily. "No 'lady', please." Said Ferah, gathering up his armor. She held it up for him, letting the short cape unravel and drape behind it. Where the brown cape had been slashed underwater, she had stitched it up, carefully as not to cringe it. To make it look less conspicuous, she had traced the entire emblem design on the back, giving it a regal look. "A bit too flashy?" She questioned herself, turning it around so she could see it.

"Uh... no." He paused, and she passed it over. He took off his black cloak, adjusted the armor, and slipped it over his head onto his shoulders. It felt lighter than usual. He folded the draped the cloak over his forearm. "Thank you." He said.

She nodded. "...I made some adjustments, but only to the under part of the armor." She paused. "Roy, I'm really sorry. I've been such a horrible Player." She said, and before things would get too mushy, explained. "I went back to the park and got Aaron to get it out of the water for me. I would have asked Kaze, but he's been rather distracted since we lost that match." She said, and shrugged.

"I thought you didn't like fighting with this on?" He asked, placing his hand under the shoulder-guards.

"You were right when you said yesterday that it saved our lives." She explained, remembering reading his thoughts.

Before Roy could respond, a tall woman entered the stable area. "Alright." She clapped lightly twice, gathering attention. She had armor on, like the soldiers that sparred outside the castle everyday. "Lord Roy, we have work to do." She turned to Ferah. "And who are you?" She demanded rather suddenly.

"My name is Ferah." She didn't curtsy this time. She was sick of curtsying, although she had managed a successful one only twice.

The woman looked up, seeing Roy, Rebecca, and Wolt comfortable with this girl, so she let her pass. "Like I said, my Lord. You've already slept half the day away."

Instinctively, Farah pulled out her cellphone to check the time. "It's friggen 9 AM. That's not half the day, that's like, a quarter or something." She said, her response the same as it had always been with Dameon or her Aunt, when she was sober.

"Excuse me?" Said the lady, narrowing her eyes and pushing herself forward.

Ferah raised her eyebrows. "Er... I gotta go. I'll talk to you later, my Lord." She said, and curtsied to Roy, then quickly walked out of the stable yard. As soon as she was out of view, she clicked her Chip Box.

Roy nodded, going back inside to fetch his sword and return his black cloak. "Rebecca, please gather the others and prepare the castle for the arrival of Lady Lilina and Lord Hector." He said formally.

Aaron let out a huge sneeze into the ruffles of his sleeve. "Ugh..." Said Aaron, as he opened it to inspect.

"Don't!" Shrieked Selena, running off to the girl's room. After she was gone, Dominick and Aaron erupted into laughter.

"Next time we should crack an egg in there," Suggested Dominick.

Kaze slammed open the guy's room door, and took a deep sigh, rubbing his hand through his frisky hair as he looked at the clock. It had been the first time he had awoken after Dominick, Aaron, and Selena.

"Ferah woke up early, so she's asleep again." Reported Selena, coming out of the bathroom with a disinfecting spray. She walked up to Aaron, pulled down his hood, drew the drawstrings, then proceeded to destroy all germs on his coat.

"Why'd she wake up early?" Asked Dominick, laughing as Aaron tried to hide himself behind the small couch pillows. Selena ripped the pillows from his hands and disinfected those too.

She smiled. "Went to see Roy. She was up all night, fixing his cloak thing. That girl really can sew."

"I had to fetch that stupid thing." Said Aaron, as he picked up a disinfected pillow to throw at Selena.

"So the Trent thing went well?" Asked Dominick.

"She said it went okay. Said Marth's fast, but that's all she really paid attention to."

"You all agree to have her in for the next match?" Kaze said. He relaxed into a chair at the table as he breathed in the orange-flavored air.

Selena spraying intensity lessened as the spray depleted. She had forgotten all about their loss yesterday. As it returned, it hit her hard. She nodded. "I think we should. I bet she's good, if she and Roy would work together."

Aaron agreed. In one swift move, he had the disinfecting spray in his hand. Selena tried to snatch it from him, but he threw it to Kaze. Kaze stood up, tossing it into the air in a basketball move. It landed in the trashcan.

"Oh... What now?" Demanded Aaron. "You gonna disinfect the disinfecting spray?"

Ferah dragged herself out of the room. "Morning, all." She said, looking around.

"Yeah." Said Aaron, shaking his hair so that the water from his shower flicked everywhere, like a blonde dog.

"Ferah." Addressed Kaze. "You're fighting next match." He said. Ferah understood, and slyly, nodded, as if it was a request. In his eyes, it was.

She turned to Dominick. "Could I check my mail? I want to see if Dameon has e-mailed me back yet."

Dominick nodded, and fetched his laptop from his room. He carefully handed it over to her. As she turned it on, she saw Mr. Game and Watch staring back at her. She almost screamed, and jumped, then common sense overtook her. "Hello..." She said, wondering if she waved, would it see her?

She tried to ignore it, and signed on to her e-mail provider. True to form, her brother had e-mailed her back.

"_Hey._

_Intensive Ai? Sounds exciting._

_They seem like a real nice bunch. Enjoy your time with them, because when you are separated into Trinities, I'm sure you'll miss them. (You left your contest handbook at home, and I read it.)"_

She sighed. It was so like him to go through her stuff.

"_Van is fine. I didn't tell him that you were having troubles with Roy. Raven actually came back. Aunty seems to think that he ran away to find Van, and took some forest path. He's been sitting by Van's side rather faithfully. Makes me want to write a book, or at least read one._

_I got a job for the Sacramento Daily. I'm the new meteorologist. The original one retired. He's been working for the paper for thirty-nine years, so I've got some major shoes to fill._

_Aunty was driving drunk last night, and she almost got into an accident. It makes me appreciate life more...but it also make me worry. I hope you never leave me._

_- DRF"_

Ferah sighed. Dameon was a famous worrier, but she knew he was right. Her father, her mother, and Van... Aunty was always at risk. If she lost Dameon, she didn't know what she'd do. Probably go insane and live with Roy in Pharae. What a nice life it must be.

"I'm _starving._" Said Dominick.

"There's a Taco Bell over there." Said Aaron, squinting and pointing. He didn't understand how New Yorkers could live, when the sun gleamed off every buildings' windows and right into your eyes.

"_Big_ Taco Bell." Added Selena, shadowing her eyes. It didn't help at the slightest. It's like the windows were perfectly positioned to annoy you.

"I think we should run to the drug store first." Said Ferah. Selena nodded. "We need to get Aaron his allergy stuff, and didn't you say you needed more mascara?" Ferah asked.

"Yes. I suppose low quality merchandise will have to do for a few weeks." She said, shrugging

"_If _you last that long." Taunted Aaron.

Ferah pulled out a ten. "This is what I've got, after buying lunch yesterday." She had bought lunch to prove she wasn't angry, but it was pretty obvious she was. Today, however, she was just happy to be back in the action.

Aaron put his hands in his pockets. "Right. Who hasn't paid for a meal yet?" He nodded. "I know I have. I paid for the Chinese."

"I paid for the pizza!" Chimed Selena.

Dominick shrugged, and pushed the button for pedestrians to walk. "I'll pay for it then."

"This?" Asked Kaze, holding a long circular tube, where dark, thick liquid sloshed through. He did not expect this to take so long, and he was growing tired of shopping.

"No. Absolutely not." Said Selena, bringing it up to her eye for closer inspection. "Definitely not." She continued.

"Hm..." Ferah cocked her head to the side, and picked another tube. The passed it over to Selena. "This looks good. For me, anyway."

Selena shook it a little. "Oh, you're right. It's good." She dropped it into their little red shopping basket. "Of course, it's not _very_ good...but the best out of the three."

"Ugh." Aaron sighed. All three bottles seemed to look the same. "You know you just contradicted yourself, don't you?" His little sister did that often, and he never understood why. It was like girl-slang.

"Hey!" Said Dominick. "There's donuts!"

"Oooo!" Said Aaron, running off after him. "Let's buy a dozen..." He pressed his hand against the glass. Creamy, sprinkled, and jelly-filled sweetness awaited him.

"Mm..." Said Selena, dreaming of donuts. "I haven't had a donut... in... ever." She said, then looked at Ferah, pursing her rich lips. "Are you gonna get one?"

"I will. Later, though." She looked through the bottles, looking for a good shade of lip-gloss. She had lost hers when she had spilled her purse at the last match.

Kaze stood next to her, waiting patiently.

"Aren't you going to go get a donut?" Ferah asked, cycling the shades and finding most of them were too light for her skin color.

"No." Said Kaze shortly. He didn't eat a lot of sugar, and was more interested in a good salad.

"Okay then, make yourself useful." She pushed the shopping basket into his arms. Ferah loved torturing him, making him do things that ruined his lordly stature.

The red basket was filled with things no one had intended to buy, but realized might be useful in the long run, like batteries and a linen roller to collect cat fur. He shuffled the basket in his arms, then looked at her. They both felt uncomfortable in each other's presence. "What time is it?" He asked. "The matches are at –"

"At three, I know." Ferah sighed and tossed a bottle into the basket. She figured they could go to some expensive store and get good quality items, but she didn't have a lot of money to spend freely knowing that there were many more days to go in the contest, and many more meals.

A scream hit the air like baseball on a stained-glass window. The melt at the end revealed it was Selena, and in utter horror and panic.

Ferah, who had been shifting through stuff in the shopping basket, dropped it. She ran forward, looking for Selena through the aisles.

Selena struggled away from her captor, her blonde hair flailing as the man tried to run away with his hairy arm around her thin stomach and his hand covering her mouth. She wore a tube top that revealed a small gap of midriff and a silver star. She tried to bite into his greasy fingers with her teeth, but he kept his hand cupped and out of reach from her teeth.

"Selena!" Aaron picked up a chair and tried to swing it at the man, but he turned so Selena was in the way and Aaron had to stop. The man smiled, but as he turned just slightly Aaron threw the chair. The man dove away, but Aaron tackled the large arm that didn't hold Selena.

Another man ran to help the kidnapper. "Help!" Dominick yelled, as he recklessly jumped onto the second man's leg.

Kaze looked back at Ferah, then took off towards them. The man saw him coming, and turned tail with Selena as his friend dealt with Aaron and Dominick. Kaze took a turn to cut the man off, but the man pushed a large container of discount items at him. Kaze jumped over the mess and followed after the man with Selena.

Aaron, temporarily subdued by the other man's grasp around his face slid his leg upward, his yellow-and-black T&T's digging into the man's face. He dropped Dominick so his hand was free to grab Aaron's leg, but he missed as Aaron stabilized himself by pushing up against the man's chest and kicking again. Ferah joined them, but saw her mistake as the man immediately swung Aaron's body away and went for her. She grabbed her Avatar Band with a fist in pure panic.

"ROY!" She screamed as her knees locked and froze, the man lunging for her.

Roy heard Ferah's voice thunder through the blue sky. He looked up from the Pharae courtyard, reading the alarm in her voice and the shock in her mind. He looked at Cecelia, then disappeared towards the sky. He came out immediately, his sword not drawn but his fists at the ready. He stood in front of her, and as the man lunged for Ferah, slammed his fist into the man's stomach. The man hit a shelf of canned foods and fell unconscious as Cambell's Chicken Broth covered his lap.

Aaron nodded breathlessly to Roy, picking Dominick off the ground. "Is everyone alright?" Roy demanded, trying to take charge of the immediate chaos. He looked back at Ferah, who covered her green eyes in his cape.

"Not Selena!" She choked. She leaned onto Roy's back for support, then ran off through the isles. Roy immediately followed after, and he, Aaron and Dominick caught up with her as she slowed, watching as Kaze tried to prevent the man's escape.

He swerved his black-clothed, sleek body and positioned himself in front of the glass doors, opening as he stepped on the mat. The man tried to run past Kaze, but Kaze swiftly swirled and delivered a roundhouse kick into the man's side. He dropped back, letting go of Selena, and reached for something in his jacket pocket. A gun.

Ferah screamed and tried to run forward, but Aaron and Roy held her back. Kaze should have been distracted, but he dropped down and slammed his foot into the man's shins, making the large man collapse in pain. He nearly collapsed forward onto Kaze, but Kaze swiftly shot his leg upwards into the man's chin. With a tight fist, Kaze knocked the gun out of his hands.

The only sound heard was the gun sliding away as the man tried to back up, his mouth open. He held up his hands in defeat. A crowd gathered as a local group of policemen arrived. Ferah ran past the salesclerks and citizens and helped up Selena. She looked completely shaken as she buried her tan face in the tangles on Ferah's shoulder. Ferah looked across to Kaze. He stood up, breathing deeply, still staring at the kidnapper through Asian eyes. He saw Ferah staring and nodded, saying he was done.

"You are certainly heroes!" Exclaimed the anchorwoman, shoving her microphone towards Ferah.

Ferah pushed it away with pale hands. "It was all Kaze, Aaron, Dominick, and..." She looked behind her. "...Roy."

"Then you must be..." Ferah stopped listening, and moved toward Selena, who was huddled in Aaron's arms. He seemed less concerned about a girl being in his arms than the well being of Selena. Ferah wreathed her arms around the two of them.

"Selena..." She whispered. "Are you alright?" She pulled back her hair.

"I'm... fine..." She said, and managed a weak smile. The weakest smile Ferah had ever seen cross Selena's face.

Kaze had retrieved Dominick, and now the Emerald Team Players, as well as Roy, huddled in a small circle. They had answered as much questions as they cared to, but immediately wanted to head back to the suite.

Selena closed her eyes and rested her head on Aaron's chest, finding that now she was safe in her circle of friends. Could she call them that? "Thank you, every body."

Dominick smiled, but he was the only one. He looked at Aaron, and Kaze, then at Roy.

"I didn't do anything." Murmured Ferah, closely wedged between Roy and Selena in their huddled circle. She didn't want either to leave her side.

"You did more than you think. Thanks." Breathed Selena.

Ferah held Selena's hand as the six of them slithered through the crowd and back onto the streets. Their steady walk nearly broke into a run as the hotel building's image became larger, a warm haven.

"The teams fighting today are... Sapphire versus Ruby, and Amethyst versus Topaz!" Shouted Hirogawa. Every time he spoke, he looked back at the Emerald Team, as if suddenly the kidnappers were to strike again, although he knew well that they were in a cell at the moment.

"Lucky us. Or maybe he knows we aren't in the mood to fight." Suggested Aaron as Players moved behind him. He yawned.

"That's good, but we should still pay attention to the matches." Said Kaze. Ferah was still in awe at the strength and speed of the real Kaze, not to mention his courage. Regardless, she was a little jealous. He didn't need Fox to help him fight. "Let's split up and watch the matches."

"I'll watch the Sapphire and Ruby match." Suggested Ferah. She wanted to see Cassandra and Trent.

"I'll come with you." Said Selena.

"Alright. Dominick, go with them. Aaron and I will watch the Amethyst-Topaz match." Kaze said, and got up. The team split up and followed the crowd.

As Selena, Ferah, and Dominick walked side by side, they talked amongst themselves.

"Big turnout today." Said Dominick, watching as the bystanders became more of an audience than a crowd.

Ferah sighed. "It's the commotion of today. We were on TV, remember? Live, and stuff. But I bet they're disappointed we aren't fighting."

"I am _so_ glad we aren't." Said Selena. For the remainder of the day, she had been pretty silent, and also sat and stood more close to Kaze then any of the Emerald Players had.

They took their seats, which were the closest to the fray. Selena and Dominick summoned their Avatars, but Ferah was hesitant. She had already taken some time out of Roy's day, and the lady known as Cecelia had said how busy his day would be.

Selena had already told Daisy what happened when she visited Mushroom Kingdom to be in peace with the flower gardens.

The arena was mostly just a large field of purposely unmanaged green and yellow grass, up the knee. And after the signal sounded, it was apparent that there were many small ditches in the mysterious grass. Dominick and Ferah laughed as the heads of warriors bobbed up and down.

Selena sighed, gazing at the waves that rippled through the grass from the cool summer breeze. She wore the light blue, frilly cardigan Ferah had seen in the closet. Selena was determined never to wear something so flirty in New York again. Suddenly, the silhouette of someone familiar stirred in the distance of the crowds. "Oh." She said, and got up.

"What?" Asked Ferah, pulling her view away from handsome Marth.

"I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be back in a minute." Said Selena, picking up her purse.

Ferah nodded, understanding. "Okay. You wanna go by yourself?" She didn't know if Selena was stable yet.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Said Selena, as she took off.

XXX

HAHAHAHAHAH 10 PGS.

Okay, I'm done. . 

You know what's really sad? I promised myself I would release at least seven (my favorite number) chapters before the start of the school year. However, it probably won't happen, because there are five days left before school starts here! Cries My friend/elder/whatever says that I'm a lot like Saria, but I'm not as sincere. I'm so insincere I can't promise myself anything and come through with it. -.-

I feel like being more literate... I think I'll go write a One-Shot or something.

And about that Roy x Ferah thing, I might have lied. . I really haven't decided yet. Ferah is surrounded by a lot of other guys. But no, no lemons. Or oranges, damn you.

Special Thanx to my Editor, XaNGrrR.

-SK


	6. Lilina of Ostia

_**Konichiwa.**_

_Look at all the reviews! Yay!  
  
**BasiliskWings: **Not only did you mess up "Basilisk", but you used like, a fake name or something, so I can't figure out who you are. But I love you. So there.  
**HallowedShame: **Thanks so much for the reviews. I love thee.  
**Princess Kitty Zelda Child: **Thanks.  
**Gijinka Renamon: **By the last name, I'm assuming you're into Digimon... it's been a while... XD Thanks for the review.  
**VG-Junky: **Man, I was wondering where you were. So glad you're back, thanks.  
**Daikoran the BlackIce Kitsune: **-Dead from fart- Yeah, Kaze rocks.  
**Peanut673: **Hi! Fuck you. I hate Marth x Zelda, I HATE Peach x Roy, and I HATE YOU. Go fuck yourself. Now, I'm not saying those who don't write OC's aren't creative, but you have to be more organized if you want to introduce your own character, as well as at least two dozen others, with Teams and Trinities, in a contest with an unequal amount of people. Now, everyone is obliged to his or her own opinions. But 1) Since you don't write your own stories, and 2) You're a blind shitcock, no one (but me...) fucking cares about yours. It also amazes me that you formed your own opinion on the first chapter, which doesn't even introduce the relationship Roy or Ferah has/fails to have. In conclusion I wonder why you even read my story, after it obviously explains in the summary the goal of the main character, a bloody OC. You are truly a stupid individual._

_I didn't think it would have to come to this, but welcome to **SK'S FLAME POLICY**:  
- I do (though haven't yet) flame people, but only on choice of things. I never flame the entire story, especially after reading one fucking chapter. Why? Because I don't go read stories that I'm not going to like.  
- If you flame me, you will be chewed out. For if you flame me, I hate you.  
  
I'm beginning to think this story is stupid. I might redo it, but maybe after I finish it. And what of a sequel? Well, the question remains, what would happen?_

_**NOTE(S):**  
- Changed Jordan "Charizard"'s hairstyle, and his name, to Cameron.  
- I changed this story's rating from PG to PG-13, because I obviously swear a lot. So therefore do the Players. But Roy won't. Cause he be like that, yo!_

XXX  
Chapter 6: Lilina of Ostia  
XXX

"Try again." Demanded Cecelia harshly. She held up her Iron Sword.

"Oh, man." Whined Ferah softly as Roy moved her forward. With a flutter of their cape, they dodged and whirled, then crashed down on Cecelia. They breathed hard, struggling and pushing their strength against each other's blade.

They slid their blades and unfastened, creating small sparks that disappeared quickly. Roy slammed his boot against the stone flooring and the jumped back, then threw himself forward with an extended slash. Cecelia's sharp sword was knocked clear out of her hands, thrown onto the tile. It slid in a circle, and then slowed.

"Roy..." Cecelia said in disbelief, breathing hard. Roy had never had so much speed before.

Roy filled his lungs as sweat slid down his forehead. He slid his sword into the sheath on the back of his belt.

Cecelia nodded as she went to fetch her sword. "I think we're good for today. You should go and get something to eat. I'm sure Rebecca's already prepared something for you."

Ferah and Roy had kept the Avatar-Player thing a secret from everyone except Wolt, who didn't understand it well anyway. "Man. I'm going back to bed." Said Ferah in a whisper. Instead of Roy being inside her, she was inside Roy. Sometimes, she was in the dark insides of Roy's mind, sitting and standing on something intangible. But other times, she was right with him, holding the Sword of Seals. Which she still hadn't gotten to flame.

"Roy!" Suddenly someone called from the castle, a someone with a friendly, smooth voice. A young woman, Roy's age, strolled out of the castle and into their view. She had beautiful, dark blue, long hair, and wore a red, thin dress trimmed neatly in gold. Wolt was behind her, chewing on a crusty pastry. The girl, or woman to Ferah, waved enthusiastically, beaming.

"Oh, Lilina!" Roy immediately brushed the sweat from his forehead, and Ferah could feel his temperature, which had dropped since they were resting, jump up again. "You've awoken. Er, Ferah..."

Ferah closed her eyes. "I'll see you later." She said, not wanting to meddle in Pharaen things. She subtly fell out of Roy's body, then swooped up her purse as she dashed into the forest.

* * *

Ferah organized through her outfit sketches. Who was that girl? Roy had instantly become embarrassed that he was all messy. He did seem to act that way in front of her, though, as well. She sighed softly. That lady was so pretty... She must have been Roy's girlfriend. He was a prince and a hero after all, and a prince always had a princess. She shook her head as she felt a strange sadness overtake her.

"Alright, so we know there is definitely a match for us today." Said Kaze. "Since we didn't participate yesterday, and there are four matches. We have yet to fight the Sapphire Team and the Topaz Team. Dominick."

"On it." Sang Dominick, as his laptop loaded the information on the CDs. "Hm... Topaz Team, Captain is Karen "Samus". Sapphire Team, Captain is Trent -"

"If we go against their team, Ferah, you fight Trent." Commanded Kaze, cutting in on Dominick's relay of information.

"What? Why me?" Whined Ferah, looking up from her drawing, a sketch of a dress she was going to finish once she got home. It was colored a cerulean blue, which means it would look best on the youngest in her group of friends, Ariel. But green always looked best on her, and she really wanted to color this dress green. Emerald had become her favorite color.

"I don't want to fight him! Why can't you?" She continued.

"Because you know him better. And we get the same amount of points regardless of Captain versus Captain or Rival versus Rival." He paused. "That is, as long as we win." Kaze took his reading glasses out of his pocket and put them on, then leaned over Dominick, reading the information on Cameron "Charizard", the boy with blonde and electric-blue spiked hair. He was tall, but not as tall as Kaze, and was more filled out, like most American boys.

_Name: Cameron 'Charizard'  
Age: 15 Years  
Height: 6' 1''  
Weight: 140 lbs  
Orientation: New York  
Excels: Aerial and Long Range Combat  
Records: None._

"Aerial and Long Range." Read aloud Kaze, sliding up his small glasses. "If we fight the Sapphire Team, I suggest we look out for Cameron and Trent, but apparently Kristina is good too."

Aaron looked behind him to Kaze. "I'll take Kristina." He said quickly.

"No point in calling opponents. We always change, anyway." Said Selena. She kissed Fern's white forehead as she placed the kitten on her lap. "Look at how much you've grown!" She stroked her nose with just enough pressure to lure Fern to sleep.

"Right. Expect the unexpected." Ferah agreed.

* * *

"The teams fighting today are... the Ruby Team versus the Topaz Team, and the Sapphire Team versus the Emerald Team!" Hirogawa announced.

Ferah dropped from her riser onto the earthy grass, and then moved over to Kaze and Dominick. Selena and Aaron joined shortly.

Kaze nodded. "Ferah, go for Trent. As for everyone else... try your best."

Selena smacked her luscious lips. "Alright."

The Sapphire and Emerald Team met up with their Executive and moved over to their fray. They divided, moved to their side of the arena, slipped through the metal gate, and stepped onto their platforms.

"The crowd..." Murmured Selena. "...got much larger." She looked around, a little nervous. "Daisy." The pale-lime-dressed princess appeared at her right, ready to battle.

"Gets larger and larger every match." Said Aaron proudly, who also noticed the large gathering of faces staring in at them. "Link!" The elf appeared next to him.

"Gee, no pressure." Said Ferah. She pushed back a brown-black bang. "...Roy, are you, uh, busy?" She said in nearly a whisper, although Roy would be the only one able to hear her in Pharae.

"Mrs. Ferah? Well, if the match is now, I can rearrange some things." There was a short silence, and then Roy appeared next to her, his right hand behind him on the hilt of his sword. "Good afternoon." He nodded, then looked ahead into the arena.

The arena was one of the larger ones, with many tall, large trees and bushes. Ferah could not see any of the Sapphire Team on the other side. The forest seemed murky and mysterious, appearing like the Kokiri Forest at night. She chewed on her long thumbnail as she tried to peer through the green darkness.

Aaron scratched his blonde hair. "It's gonna be like... laser tag."

Kaze nodded. "Good thinking." He released air. "So then we have two choices; projectiles or stealth."

"Well, you're good at both of that." Rushed Aaron as he saw the announcing light switch from red to yellow. "And we've got projectiles." He proposed, looking over to Link.

"The electric boomerang, bombs, arrows, and the grappling-hook." Link said, checking and adjusting his brown leather belt as he made sure he had each of those items.

"You can't shoot a laser and still be stealthy. So it's one or the other." Said Dominick, wondering what type of projectiles Mr. Game and Watch might have that he had not discovered yet.

"...Or maybe you can." Said Kaze, deep in thought. He swallowed his spit and tipped his head downward.

"...3...2...1!" The light went green.

"Survival!" Ferah heard everyone roar, including the audience. She smiled to herself as Roy unsheathed his sword and disappeared into her.

"Ready?" She asked, as she cautiously ran into the trees, holding the sword tight and in front of her face.

Roy nodded. "As I'll ever be, I suppose. I'm never ready for this type of thing." His voice made an instant decrescendo as they entered the wooded range.

"Neither am I." Whimpered Selena as she picked up her skirts and tiptoed over a fallen, mossy log.

Nearby, Dominick threw up his whip and pulled himself up into the trees, where he disappeared. Kaze had long disappeared behind the veil of shimmering greenery.

"I suppose wearing green does have its advantages." Said Ferah aloud.

"Hush!" Roy said, and put their finger up to her lips. He misinterpreted the arms speed and actually whacked her, but neither took any notice. Ferah silenced immediately, and moved behind a tree so her back was to the opposing side. Once she had stilled, she could hear above the distant flutter of deep, thick wings. There was a _thud,_ closely followed by more silence.

Ferah poked her head out and looked around, straining to heed anything else. She could hear nothing other than people moving around, twigs and leaves cracking under their weight. She tried to find out where the mass of the noise was coming from, but failed to see past most of the trees. She quickly turned around when she heard a small object fall.

She continued to her left and forward cautiously. There was nothing around her, but a strange, blue electricity ball in the distance. It was shot off, and hit something far away and diluted. She decided that no one on the Emerald Team had that ability, and moved through the trees that way, before something grabbed her shoulder.

An immense amount of strength sent her into the earth backwards, her head missing a rock by a centimeter. When she opened her eyes, she could see someone staring back at her.

"Hey." Said a boy energetically, brown eyes peering directly into her face. He had blonde, short spikes in his hair, the tips a very bright blue. Like Fox, he had sharp teeth, and like Bowser, had claws. But what made him different were the orange horns emerging from his hair and the great, bony wings on his back.

Ferah screamed and slashed upward. He dashed away, then shot back and grabbed her sword by the blade. She rolled up and rung her left hand around a tree to anchor herself. She was surprised that the blade did not cut him and tried to press it into his palm, but it failed to pierce his flesh.

"Leh... leggo!" Ferah said, gritting her teeth and trying to slip it away.

The boy slid his second hand further down the blade and managed to rip it out of Ferah's hands, ringing his fingers around the handle's golden wings.

"Man! That was easy. You suck." He said, slinging the sword back and forth as he pushed off the ground like one would into water, but instead began gliding into the air. As he lifted off, a great tail swung out from underneath him, the edge on fire.

Ferah noticed the closest thing to her and grabbed at the tail, but managed only to singe her hand lightly in the fire. "Cameron Charizard." She announced to Roy, nodding.

"Sword!" He reminded loudly, so it rung in her ears.

"I know, I know..." Said Ferah, a little annoyed. But Cameron was high above the ground now, his sweeping wings a feat that the audience cheered energetically for.

"Oh, dammit!" Said Ferah though her teeth, as she stomped through the underbrush, trying to follow him closely as he picked up speed, heading for the Sapphire side of the trees.

As she ran she noticed a large, cut stump up ahead, the highest platform she could get on besides climbing a tree. With a rush of speed she slammed her feet down on the smooth surface of the stump and pushed off, jumping high and having good timing. She clasped her fragile hands around the sword, but unfortunately, since Cameron was holding the hilt, her hands met the blade. Unlike Cameron, her hands were not scaly.

Blood slid in her hands and ran down her naked arm as she tried to hold on to it. She watched in awe at the blood, a white-ish blue stream of 0's and 1's that were moving at a rapid rate, processing the attack.

Cameron suddenly took them higher, into the blue sky, above the plot of trees and well past the height of the gates. He smiled, looking down on the girl who was kicking and flailing underneath him. He drew in a deep breath as Ferah tried to pull herself up and kick him, to no avail. Her eyes widened as she recognized that move.

A great, twisting funnel of bright red fires blasted straight at her, and she screamed. It licked her cheeks and the tip of her nose seconds before a thick, linked chain shot forward and wrapped itself around her stomach, tugging her instantly to the ground and out of harms way.

"Hey!" Said Cameron, making a face. But he turned tail and dove, now at the end of the arena.

Ferah yelled as she was quickly jerked away and down, but the chain uncoiled around her thin stomach and returned, she saw, to Link. Roy and Ferah dropped onto the ground on their feet, but pain seared through her ankles. She buckled slightly, rubbing the heavy boots.

"Ouch..." Complained Ferah as she rubbed her black cheeks like a cat. She looked over to Aaron, who ran up to her and helped her up. He put the grappling hook away.

"You okay?" He asked, breathing deeply and checking around them and behind him. He unsheathed his sword again, preparing for battle. "Kaze told me to get you to stop... uh... what did he say... _stop playing around and go beat Trent_." He said, intimidating Kaze's serious voice and frowning face.

Ferah didn't bother to laugh as she let him help her up. "The dragon... Cameron has my sword." She said.

"Why didn't he attack you with it, then?" Aaron asked as he stood upright.

"He's taking it to Trent!" Yelled Selena from up ahead. Golf club against golden staff, Princess Daisy and another female opponent pushed against each other, their feet pushing back dirt.

Selena was tired, faced against a fox anthropomorphic, like Kaze. But this time the fox had icicle blue fur, and wore something that resembled a skimpy native's gold clothing.

The duelists pressed against each other, until the fox unlocked and swung her staff around. The blue fire from before shot forward, but Selena dodged it.

Link was about to rush up and help her, but someone called from behind.

"_Air Capture!"_ She yelled, and a great waterspout emerged from the earth underneath him, capturing him in the water.

Aaron struggled to breath, his heavily gloved hands clasped over his mouth to prevent breath escaping. "Go on!" He bubbled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a black bomb, which seemed to alight even underwater.

"Going, going!" Ferah said as Selena pushed the girl away so Ferah could make it past. She sent her a breathless glance as she tore off through the dark trees.

Trent was directly ahead. He was as relaxed as ever, his back against a tree and his feet crossed in the dirt. By the lack of sweat or adrenaline in his face, it was obvious he had not fight yet, or done little fighting. He was waiting for her.

Link's bomb went off, making dirt fly past Ferah and making her hair flutter. She didn't notice, but just watched Trent for his next move.

Cameron dropped the sword down to Marth, who caught it instantly. With two swords in hand - the Falchion and the Sword of Seals - Trent smiled and swirled them in professional circles.

"Oh, fuckness." Sang Ferah, biting her bottom lip. Roy clenched their fists, cracking Ferah's knuckles. She took a step forward, ready to fight, but with no idea what to do.

"Do you have any secret items I don't know about?" Ferah asked Roy hopefully.

Roy shook his head and sighed. "Fists and foot, I suppose." They took another vigilant step forward.

Suddenly, there was a strange call, a thunderous roar that paralleled Aaron's bomb explosion. A blur slammed into her stomach, pushing her far back and barely missing a tree. Ferah recoiled, using her feet as breaks and maintaining her stance as dust flew up around her boots.

Cameron flew upward again, and then back down. He took a deep breath and sent the flames forward to her. Her eyes widened in fear, her knees wobbling. She knew if she ran, he could just fly on after her with his Flamethrower nipping at her heels.

"Ferah!" Kaze yelled from behind her. Or at least she thought he was behind her, and turned around to see him, but he was gone in a flash, or more of a blue flash. She could hear the world "Illusion" echo through the stage for a few seconds, but it was gone quickly, as was Cameron. She paused, kneeling, with Kaze, who had his arm around her shoulders.

"Thanks!" She breathed, but Kaze was stills staring at Cameron, who had nearly run into the tree that was behind her seconds ago. But he had moved his feet forward and pushed off the tree, making the tree quiver and crack.

"Damn!" Said Cameron, looking around. He got up quickly. "Who was that?" He asked, before he set his deep eyes on Kaze. "Oh, there you are."

Kaze quickly disappeared again, followed by the rustle of a tree nearby. Cameron perceived his position and flipped his head back, filling with fresh tree-filtered air, then surged fire forward. The tree was engulfed in dancing flames, but Kaze was no longer there.

Fox encircled her, making her hair and skirt billow as the air around him flew. Every time he passed in front of her, he said something.

_"Illusion!" _

"Take."

"Trent."

"Out."

_"Illusion!" _

"Dominick."

"And."

"One."

"Opponent."

"Down."

With another "_Illusion"_ Kaze shot off from around her and jumped up high, making himself visible for a second before slamming down on Cameron. Kaze disappeared again, and Cameron struggled to get up from the earth.

Ferah understood, running past the enraged Cameron as he tried to flame the fox that was either shooting at him with a thick red laser or sending kicks into his lower back.

"Trent!" Ferah hollered, running forward.

He had had his back to her, admiring the Sword of Seals and practicing using both of the swords at the same time. He swung the swords around, making _whizz_ing noises. "Ready?"

"Come on!" Roared Ferah, feeling Roy's juvenile recklessness overtaking her. She bent her knees, sliding her back foot away and putting up her blue-gloved fists.

"I amend your effort." Said Trent, turning around as he stopped the swords and let them reflect Cameron's fire. "But that's all you've got." A curl fell in his eyes as he dashed forward.

One of the swords, Ferah was not sure which, cut straight into her shoulder armor, slicing off a chunk. The other sliced parallel to her neck, way too close to her ears.

She fidgeting, stepping back a little, but made use of Roy's large boots as she narrowed her eyes and sent her foot into his stomach. He coughed up a little data onto her cheek and moved back. Ferah had little experience in martial arts, and wasn't paying attention when Trent sheathed what he thought was the Falchion and grabbed her foot, then flipped it over. She slammed into the dirt, and quickly rolled over.

"_Flood!"_ A girl shrieked from far behind her, her call echoing through the park.

When she looked up, Trent had stopped moving. He was looking behind her at the deep abyss. Ferah could no longer hear the wind flowing through Kaze's fur at lightning speed, or Cameron's Flamethrower. All she could hear the rushing of pounding, sloshing water. On the floor, she tipped her head back. A large wave was heading their way, overshadowing everyone in its path.

"Amanda, you friggen idiot!" Yelled Cameron, voicing everyone's opinions, as the tree he had set aflame was instantly doused.

That was the last thing Ferah heard.

The wave of great blue water crashed over her. Ferah was able to catch a little breath, but the impact from the wave pushed her up and slammed her into the gate wall, making her lose most of it. Trent had been right in front of her, and she had smashed into him, her face planting into the circular sapphire on his cape.

The water sloshed around her, and the impact pushed the air out from her neck. She sputtered, taking in clean, cold water.

Ferah felt the water bubble around, then lessen, finally falling to past her head, so she could breath. The crowd on the Sapphire Team side had seemed to get wet too, and now were complaining loudly.

When Ferah fell forward, the water was about hip height. Trent, who had been flat against the wall, pushed off the metal gates, coughing deeply, tugging at the cape around his neck. Ferah hoisted herself onto her knees in a kneel, the water at her chin, as Trent rested on his knees.

Looking around, Ferah saw a lump of pale orange in the corner. Cameron was definitely out.

"Kaze!?" She asked, frightened, looking around in panic. Kaze, a mass of flat black fur, tried to strand. He looked up, breathing deeply.

The direction of the water scooted everyone out of the trees and towards them. Link's and Selena's pale carcasses floated in, followed by the blue fox. Their pale bodies got caught in bushes and behind trees, but Selena's body floated to the end of the gate near Kaze. He picked up her body and sat her upright, so she could see the match.

He swallowed deeply. "Are you okay?" He yelled over.

"Mmm fine." Mumbled Ferah, pulling the headband up. It had slipped over her eyes in the mayhem. She could hear Roy breathing hard too, rubbing his face.

Trent coughed water out from his lungs behind her as she folded her fingers into the metal rings of the fence and stood up. Her head drooped down, eyes closed as she rubbed them too, trying to get her contacts back into place.

When she reopened her eyes, she saw something gold and gleaming near Kaze.

"The sword!" Roy said, and dashed forward, scooping it up as water flew all around them.

As water ran down her cheeks and dripped off her chin, Ferah got up, holding the sword in front of her. _The Falchion._

She looked behind her, at Trent, who had been watching her actions. He slid his sword out of the sheath, discovering it to be the Sword of the Seals. Ferah found that even in the hands of the enemy, it still held it's beautiful, glorious shine.

Roy felt proud of its exquisiteness as water droplets were shook off the hilt. "He won't be able to light it." Said Roy, finding it as a haven.

"I wasn't able to light it either!" Whined Ferah. She looked back at Kaze.

He shook his head back and forth quickly, like a dog. "Its just water." He said aloud, to Fox. He looked up at Ferah. "We'll take the source of that wave. I'm pretty sure it's the girl named Amanda." He said breathlessly, and took off into the woods, although he didn't have to go far.

Waiting for him was Amanda "Ruto", in the shape of a nearly-naked, fish-woman. She narrowed her yellow eyes. "Damn. I thought I got you all."

Kaze shook his head and rushed forward. "Illusion!"

Ferah heard him for a brief moment, but turned back to Trent. "So." She said.

"So what?" he asked, and put the sword in position.

"Oh, man..." Said Ferah, who had hoped they could peacefully switch the swords and continue fighting afterwards. Roy reluctantly moved the Falchion up and they bent into position.

The water had drained down to knee-height. It glistened and splashed loudly as Trent and Ferah ran towards each other. When they got into what they thought was still their range, they swung and slashed.

Trent had the Sealed Sword, which was shorter than the Falchion, having a blade that was the sharpest and more battle-designed to strike around the middle of the blade. He had misinterpreted his reach and missed Ferah by a few centimeters.

Ferah had the Falchion, which was longer and more potent at the point. But she wasn't standing out of range for either of the swords, and the blade hit his armor.

It made a vertical slash in his armor, cutting his cape. He backed out and Ferah followed, and then they moved in again. This time, Marth jumped up high, something neither Roy nor Ferah were prepared for. He crashed down on them, chopping through the other shoulder armor and into her shoulder.

Ferah yelled and tore away before it could be made lethal. She backed up for a rest, putting her free hand on the wound.

Suddenly, she heard Kaze yell angrily, and then a tree powerfully snapping. As it came down, it nearly knocked another tree. Both Trent and Ferah turned to see Kaze nearly out, before he shot Amanda in the chest with his laser, a final blow.

"Just you and me." Smiled Trent.

"Right." Said Ferah, not thinking at all. The audience was both very excited and quiet in anticipation.

The dove forward at each other, Trent jumping up again. This time, Roy made a barrel roll on the ground, ending up behind Trent. He had to shove Ferah's head underwater for a moment, something she was barely ready for, but it was worth it. Trying to blow water out of her nose and fight at the same time, she got up and brought her sword forward.

Trent whirled, his blue cape clogging Ferah's view. She yelled and ripped it away. She had held her sword at her right, the direction in which Trent had twirled, so their swords met before Trent was ready. However, he had the advantage now, and slid his sword away and tried to stab Ferah again.

Ferah swerved her hips to the left and almost slipped in the water, but made a horizontal arc, making a slash at the armor-free stomach of Trent.

He obviously felt pain but didn't let it deter him as he tried an upward arc over Ferah's head, for he was slightly taller, but she held the sword up to block it. It clinked, making magical, colorful sparks, like tiny fireworks. The audience cheered as the sparks fell into the water that reflected them so perfectly.

"Ugh!" Ferah tried again, using maneuvers Roy had used with Cecilia that morning. Her blade suddenly began to glow yellow as she swerved and maneuvered her feet. She grit her teeth. "What?" She said out-loud. _Is the Falchion easier to use than the Sword of Seals?_

"The _Dancing Blade_." Said Trent. Roy's sword in his hands began to glow as he performed stances and techniques that mirrored her own. He paused as he moved his foot back. "And here is your... _Double-Edge Dance!"_

The swords both glowed individual colors, going from green to yellow to blue to purple as they changed the angle. The blades clashed again, and more neon sparks emitted from them.

"_Dancing Blade, Dancing Blade, Dancing Bladeeeee_!" Ferah muttered, not knowing when to name the move. Each time a step of the dance was performed, or after a series of them were done? Ferah was relieved to see Trent actually begin to sweat. She smiled, her passion renewed.

She unlocked, and making her right arm straight and holding her left arm in front of her, made a huge, powerful strike at him. It slashed dangerously close to his neck. It tore the rest of the front of Marth's cape, so Trent threw it off with one hand and went forward again.

The cape floated gently and landed on the surface of the water as the two swords-users slipped and dove, clashed and slashed, glistening water flying up all around them.

Ferah breathed quickly, barely filling her lungs. She felt a cold coming on as the water soaked into the knee-high boots she wore. Trying to concentrate, she timed herself carefully, and in one great move, sent the sword straight towards Trent's stomach. He moved away, but only slightly, so it slid into his side.

Trent yelled out in pain, grabbing the deep cut as the blue blood drained out, joining the water at their feet and diluting. As he looked up, his anger turned into good-nature as his eyes came across the delicate fifteen-year old that was Ferah. He smiled, his eyes closing slyly.

"Like I said. Better than you think. But it remains... how good is that?"

"What makes you say that?" Ferah was quickly running out of energy, and she could feel that so was Roy. The two swords unlocked and the two of them stepped backwards, trying to gain breath and energy. They made less powerful slashes, knocking against chest and shoulder armor. They knew if they swooped to hit the legs, either the unarmored, thin pants of Trent or Ferah's bare thighs, they would be open to hit at their head or back.

"Haven't you noticed, you last a lot longer than the other girls? I have nothing against Selena or Mischa, but they are both very easily beaten. And power may be your forte, but you possess speed, and precision as well." He nodded, maybe to himself, maybe to Ferah.

"What about you?" She paused. "You're really good. But I never understood how being a smart gamer would make you a good fighter." She slammed her blade into the side of his face with the flat part of the sword, doing nearly nothing. "Damn!" She said, and switched her hands around the handle so it would be the edge next time.

Trent's eyes narrowed as he brought up the sword. "It's because... Marth and I... we can relate, we can trust each other, and we can understand each other. This game requires some athletic talent, I see this, but what it requires is a truly trusting and caring personality." With this he swooped forward, his sword leaving a great trail of color behind it.

Although he expected more of the tip of the blade, he was still able to send a deep cut the armor at her chest. As she pushed back, her armor cracked and broke off, dropping into the puddle at her feet. She tugged at her shirt, which had been cut below her clavicle. More of the light blood leaked out.

She rumpled the material of the shirt, holding the blood in a fist, looking down. Then she looked back at her sword, reflecting her rippling reflection in the water.

Trent continued. "I know the reason you didn't get along with Roy wasn't because you couldn't relate, it was because you don't trust him. Relation was Cassandra's problem." He held his sword like a French fencer, point pointed at Ferah and his left hand out behind him. "You trust him to fight along side you. You trust him to protect you. But the question remains, why won't you let him get to know you?" He demanded curiously.

"Because... because he's not real!" She said, almost laughing, even though she knew Roy could hear her. However, he was wordless. She rubbed her left hand on her face.

"AI. It's Artificial In-"

"That's just it! It's artificial! He's like, Capri Suns! He's like a doll!" It became clear to her that everyone could hear her, quieting down and whispering.

"He's like a plant. A pet. A friend. He learns, he grows, he thinks, and he trusts you." Trent put down his sword and took a step forward, holding out a compassionate hand.

"I don't want to care for him, and when this contest is over, just see him disappear! I don't want to... get attached." It was Van all over again. She had never gotten along with him until only a few years ago. When he finally began to get outside and do things with her, go see movies or go out for a walk, she always had so much fun with him. But when the school year started again, depression had suddenly overtaken him, and he forgot all about her, and about himself. "Everything just... disappeared... just like Roy will. Just like Van did."

Ferah suddenly opened her eyes, the pressure of everything making her cry a little. She didn't realize how much she cared for him, a computer program.

She held fingers to her lips.

"Ferah..." Roy said, reading her thoughts.

Suddenly, the audience got loud, their rambling and cheering becoming clear.

"They're... rooting for us." Said Ferah, softly, still not looking up.

"Just like the game." Said Trent. He stood upright, putting an arm into a fist, the other hand dragging the sword tip in the water. "And like the game... There must be a winner. Shall we finish this?"

"Yes. Of course." Said Ferah. With a soft, smooth willingness, she backed up, like Trent, so they each had their back against an opposing fence.

"Roooooooooooyy!" The audience chanted.

"Marth! Marth! Marth, Marth, Marth!" They roared, stomping their feet.

Ferah yelled loudly as she shot forward, dashing through the puddles, water fluttering all around her as her sword passionately glowed.

Trent was coming, doing the same thing. How he looked so glorious, even without his cape, water droplets shaking from his dark hair.

The two collided, dashing past each other with misestimate of speed. Both remained motionless with their back to each other.

Ferah breathed deeply, and each time she exhaled her head drooping lower, closer to the water. Suddenly, she collapsed, her face slamming against the earth. For a breathless moment, she saw her hand fall down after her, pale and lifeless.

The end bell sounded. "WINNER! THE SAPPHIRE TEAM!" The announcer yelled.

"Trrrrreeeennnnt! Marth! Trrrrrreeeeennnntttt! Marth!" The audience sung.

Ferah breathed and separated from Roy, their figure becoming solid. She rolled out of him, mud all over her black cheeks and her white skirt. On the ground, Roy flipped himself over, so the both of them were laid out, wet and staring at the blue sky.

Finally, her cheeks were no longer scorched, her ankles no longer strained, her shoulder no longer bleeding. Her breathing returned to normal, going at the same time as Roy's.

She tried to push herself up, but her hand slipped on Roy's cape and she put her head back down. She was too tired. Roy rolled his head over, his red curls dark and wet. He looked down, then back at her, with his dark blue eyes.

Trent separated and ran over quickly, holding out a hand for Ferah. She gratefully took it, though she felt embarrassed that she was so muddy, sweaty and wet in front of him, but it was the first time that day she cared.

Roy got up and came face to face with Marth. They held out their sword's hilts simultaneously and they each drew them from their incorrect sheaths and put them in their own. Roy nodded. "You're good." He said, to the both of them.

"Yes. Well met." Said Marth in Fire Emblem tradition.

"Good job, Ferah." Trent said as he placed his hand haughtily on her shoulder.

Ferah smiled shyly. "Yeah."

"Ferah!" Selena ran up to her, strangling her in a hug. The rest of the team joined her, and the Sapphire Team joined Marth. After their squabbling of complaining or bragging subsided, all the Players and Avatars stared back at their previous opponents in silence. Regardless of the Sapphire Team winning, they all acknowledged how close of a match it was.

* * *

"We all heard and saw what happened." Said Aaron. "Or tried to see. I was stuck behind a fucking tree." When someone was KO'd, they became motionless, but still could hear and see.

"You've improved a lot, Ferah." Said Kaze, taking a swig of his water. No one, even Kaze, seemed too disappointed by their loss. They received a lot of points, anyway. Amanda "Ruto" lost good points for attacking her own teammates. When she had complained about having no choice, Hirogawa had explained that there were tactics involved with the move _Flood._

"Thangs. I'm jus sorry I couldn't go arond and help you geys." Ferah said through the pillow over her face.

"You 'ad orders, and you went through with them." Said Dominick, shrugging. "I wish I wasn't the first one down, though."

As Aaron began to explain in detail how awesome his bombs were, Ferah chucked the pillow across the couch and took her feet off, sliding into a sitting position. "I think I'm gonna go talk to Roy. Things got kind of... awkward today." She whispered to Ferah.

"I... know. Ferah, is there something you aren't telling me?" Selena inquired softly.

Ferah exhaled air through her nose, moving towards the bathroom to take a good shower. "Well, Trent is really hot." She proposed.

"Hell yah. But other than that." Selena said. She tipped her head back, resting them on top of the pillows of the couch, her flat, golden hair shimmering softly.

Ferah opened the door to the girls' room, Snow Fern running out. She swooped her up and into her arms. "I don't know. Let's just say I wish he couldn't read my mind. You're lucky your Avatar is a girl too."

* * *

Wearing fresh clothes, Ferah dropped down into Pharae. It was evening now, and she could see a lovely pastel sunset as the big sun dropped past the mountains. The wind blew softly, making her hair fly back from her face. Every time she came to Pharae, she never understood how real it could be.

She checked her red, flip cellphone. Dinner was in half an hour, so this had to be quick. Another apology, she suspected. She snuck past the corner of the castle wall and turned into the courtyard.

There, Roy was sitting on the stone bench amidst the flower patch, smiling and laughing, nearly blushing. Sitting next to him, the sweet and proper girl from before was next to him, wearing formal evening attire. Ferah felt that the dark forest behind them did not seem so foreboding in her presence. The two of them sat close to each other, and Roy had his hand on Lilina's delicate back.

"...and because he didn't know, he was about to..." He said, smiling, talking about Wolt. When he looked past Lilina's delicate cheek, the edges of his lips dropped just slightly. "Oh. Ferah." Roy said. He waved from behind Lilina. Lilina turned around.

Ferah made a quick dash behind the wall, but was sure Lilina had seen her. "It's alright. Mrs. Ferah, please come out." He said. He had begun using the title "Mrs." for Ferah when he heard her use "Mr." for Hirogawa and inquired.

Tiptoeing through the grass, Ferah came up to the two and curtsied before them, although she was wearing her denim jeans. "Um...hi." She tried.

"Oh, hello. Who is this, Roy?" Asked Lilina. She giggled and smiled, never afraid or shy with Roy beside her.

"This is my friend Ferah. She's a young swordswoman." He nodded. "And she's good, too."

"Oh, hello Ferah. I'm Lilina, of Ostia." She looked over Ferah's clothes, then at her face. "_Really_ young. And good, huh? I'd love to see you and Roy spar sometime." Lilina had had her share of Roy's bragging, and she was rather gullible.

Ferah could feel Lilina's eyes bore into her, trying to find something out. Ferah suspected that Lilina wondered why such a young girl, especially Ferah, an obvious softy, would use a blade.

"Where did you say she was from? I haven't seen her before." Lilina turned back to Roy.

"She's from... here, actually. New. Wandered in a few weeks ago. With amnesia." His lie got longer as he sent a slight of eyes Ferah's way. "Rebecca uh... took pity on her and let her in."

"Even in times like this, Rebecca has always had such a nice soul." Said Lilina. "But that must mean... are you orphaned?" She asked, peering into Ferah's eyes with curiosity and compassion.

Ferah nodded, understanding that, it might be true. She had no parents, after all. She frowned. "I suppose so."

"I'm sorry..." Said Lilina, pushing back one of Ferah's bangs that had fallen forward in her curtsy. "Here, take a seat." She scooted to the left and patted the space of the bench in-between her and Roy.

Roy looked at her for a minute, frowning apologetically.

Ferah understood, a great sadness overtaking her. "Actually, I've got to go to bed. I have an early curfew." She lied, and felt a lump in her throat. "Good night. It was nice meeting you, Lady Lilina. Lord Roy." She nodded, then curtsied one more time, not knowing if it was redundant or not, and tore off around the castle.

Roy held out a hand and wanted to call back to her, but she was gone.

"She's very cute." Said Lilina, tipping her head to the side as she peered into the darkness into which Ferah ran.

"Yeah." Mumbled Roy mindlessly.

Around the corner, Ferah put her head against the cold stone, staring at the darkening sky. Glistening stars were slowly beginning to appear. She folded her chin onto her chest as she slid downward into a crouch. Closing her eyes, she pulled out fists of cold grass.

XXX

_Wait. 20 pages. Is that the longest chapter yet? Jee-ful._

_You know, I could make this a really good romance novel. But then the genre would be General/Action/Adventure/Romance, and I'm pretty sure you can't do that many. Of course, it will still have a small amount of romance regardless. Still, I'd like some feedback if you'd like some romance in the story. It's PG-13 anyway. I'd also like to hear what pairings you'd like. Don't expect me to do a lot of Shounen Ai, and I'm against Shoujo Ai entirely. I don't want to make this a Mary Sue, though. Anyway, be creative!_

_Special Thanx to my Editor XaNGrrR, Kuley, and VG-Junky._

_- SK_


	7. Three Lynxes

_Konichiwa._

_Princess Fruity:Well that quote sounded like a bowl full of Mary Sue shit. Uh, Elemine. I totally just lost my lunch. Anyway. Thanks so much for being creative in your pairings, eh. /sarcasm  
__Basiliskwings: Ohohohoho, there you are! -Pokes you-  
Daikoran the BlackIce Kitsune: Not very specific, but thanks.  
__Adriana Dimitriov: You have a rad name. It's like, Russian-full? Anyway, thank you so, so, very much for the review. I love getting this type of information. I've actually drawn the conclusion that you might have analyzed this story more than I have. -Stands Up- See? See? This is an example of a perfect reviewer! Thanks! I look forward to your other reviews! It's too bad you hate Trent so much, though.  
Mr. Lefty: Not Canadian after all, eh? Well, it was still pretty smooth. I'm so happy you came to read my story, and even reviewed The Rise, which I must admit is pretty stupid now that I've come back to read it. This story is kind of random, too, the concepts I mean. I feel so inferior to your awesome-ness. –Bows-  
Xiao23: I'm pleased you like it!_

_It seems the longer I do not update, the more reviews I get! That's not good for you guys, is it?_

_NOTE(s):  
- I have a gallery up, a DeviantART one. Nothing good is up... I have pictures from Survival!! that I would like to put up, but I've gotten lazy. I was drawing this one with all the girls in the tournament, and XaNGrrR wanted me to put him in the middle. But I didn't. Then I brought it to school to touch it up, and the girls picked their favorites. Megan was smart; she knew that Ferah was the best. Ellen liked Karen (wtf?) and Victoria. Tori did turn out well. I don't remember who Mackenzie liked, though._

_Yeah, you get a long chapter. Cause I love you and I'm sorry for not updating? No, because there is a bunch of junk to say._

XXX  
Chapter Seven: Three Lynxes  
XXX 

Ferah had another nightmare last night. Roy had attacked her again, dark walls rising around her to fail her escape. His sword blazed, but his eyes were wrinkled and worried. In the dream, Ferah had seemed aware that there was no use in running, and kept her feet still, although they seemed to be magnetically weighted to the ground.

However, her physical body still struggled. In her bed she sweat and turned, throwing pillows off the bed and onto the dingy hotel carpet. The sound of her sheets sliding on her cat woke her up, and she stared, dazed, at the ceiling.

After a few more hours of trying to fall asleep and failing miserably, something happened that made her think she was going insane. A sweet, humming song sang from behind the white walls, convincing her that she was safe. She fell for it's dancing, swirling winds and dosed back into a slumber, more peaceful and fulfilled than ever before.

---

Ferah dragged herself up from her bed, and walked into the bathroom, Snow Fern dancing around her legs and meowing loudly in a demand for food. Ferah rubbed her eyes. The room whirled in strange colors. She pushed past Fern and into the bathroom, where she closed the door seconds after Fern rushed in after her.

Outside in the main suite, the Emerald Team was watching TV and eating breakfast peacefully. Ferah came out to join them, but a different sort of Ferah.

Her hair, which was usually done up in perky, messy pigtails, was now down, silk across her small shoulders. She had her left hand over her eyes, while the right hand held tightly onto the doorway entrance.

"Are you okay?" Asked Dominick, peering over. He had never seen Ferah this way. She wasn't a mess, but she seemed so much more frail than ever before.

Ferah dragged her hands from her eyes. Today they were tired opals, and made her appear gentle and mysterious, the green orbs hidden and dark.

"I can't... see." She said, a little softly. She could see a brown and orange blur that was Dominick, and Kaze sitting in the distance on a couch, but she couldn't see Selena or Aaron.

"What?" Demanded Kaze, he looked over from his newspaper reading and sat forward.

"My contacts... has anyone seen them?" Ferah tried.

Dominick got up. "You wear contacts?"

"How are we supposed to see contacts?" Asked Aaron.

Selena got up. "...I think I might have seen one... It was on the counter." Selena got up, and Ferah attempted to go after her, but almost tripped on her cat. Kaze lunged forward and caught her by the shoulders. Ferah's head slammed forward as a result, and her black-brown hair flipped forward. She stood upright and stepped over Fern. The Team followed Selena into the joint bathroom.

Placing her hands along the counter and watching where her hands slid, Selena found something slightly shriveled up. She picked it off and held it up. "Is this it?" She asked.

Ferah opened her eyes, which seemed like small pools of dark water that were twenty-times deeper than the length of the waters on the shore. "Looks like it." She squinted, and the forest-green orbs hid behind her eyelids.

Selena pulled Ferah's palm closer and laid it on it. Ferah picked it up in the tips of her other hands fingers, and then reached towards the mirror for her case. Carefully, she dropped it into the liquid. "So that's one... can anyone see any other?" She spoke softly, as if she was afraid she wasn't talking to the right people.

"It must have gotten washed out in yesterday's match." Said Aaron, frowning. They all recalled in the blue fish-woman and her water abilities. "That was really cool, though. I wish I could control water. Then I could flood my school and then..." Aaron rambled.

Ferah peered, watched the plastic lens unfurl in the cleaning liquid that was actually salt water. She pushed Selena's conditioner away and hoisted herself up on the counter, feeling that she wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. "This is not good. How am I supposed to fight this way?"

Kaze spoke in a commanding tone, resonance in the empty room. "You must rely on Roy to guide you now."

---

Roy's lie had become vast. In Pharae, Ferah had started as an orphaned girl that had wandered in. But soon, more and more people of the court began to inquire about the fifteen-year-old girl that was always training alongside Roy. Those who had seen Ferah and Roy combine had begin to think Ferah was a sort of Dark Mage, for she disappeared with the wind.

At length the to-be-Baron had become a storyteller as which he told Ferah's courageous tale. It had come that she was from a small village in eastern Lycia. Her family and the all the other boys her age and older had been drafted into the war, and ambushed. In her young desperate struggle to avenge her family, she had come to Pharae to serve under the Lord Eliwood, promising the other girls she would not return until the war was over and Lycia had won.

Ferah hadn't notice before, but Roy's lie was worse than hers. All she had said that she was going to go home, but continued to wander in dangerous fields. However, she was sure that if she confronted Roy about it, he would probably say something regal like his lie was for the common good, with the blonde Wolt ever to back him up. But Ferah had to admit, the lie was for a decent reason, however pulled to what extent.

"This is the first time I've traveled without my family." Aaron said that day, followed by a suggestion. "We have no parental guidance. I think we should hire some hookers." He nodded sagely.

A long, omitted silence followed, in which Dominick coughed genuinely.

Kaze looked up, raising his eyebrows over his tiny reading glasses, and shook his head lightly. His froth of dark messy hair slid gently from side to side. He appeared like a father who had given up long ago to raise a retarded son.

"Hmmm," Sang Selena, reading his obvious feelings. "_I_ think you'll end up missing him." She voiced cautiously, unable to contain the comment. However, she did not want to find out what Kaze's bad side was like.

Aaron nodded, recognition finally hitting him. He sourly twitched his mouth. "This is our last day together. Our last match."

"And then so ends... the Emerald Team." Said Ferah. Her left contact was now in, but that was her better eye.

Ferah had returned home late last night, spending time around Pharae while Roy and Lilina were hanging out with each other. She had been invited to dinner by Wolt, but had politely refused.

She could not get her mind off Roy and Lilina together. When she had spoke to Roy a little that night, all she could manage to ask him was why had he not told her about the _Double-Edge Dance._ He explained simply that he just never knew about it, but using that move did feel right.

"I want you guys to know it's been so much fun fighting with you." Said Selena. She had noticed that during their team training, Kaze had stopped coaching so hard. Maybe it was because they were getting better, or because Kaze was trying to be friendlier, but she reckoned it was because he didn't want to help them if they – which was likely – became his enemies.

Dominick smiled as Selena poured mush all over them. He turned back to his laptop and continued his rapid typing.

Ferah released a sigh of stress as she stretched her arms out in front of her. With her pinky finger slightly lifted, she took a sip of what she assumed was Earlsgray Tea.

Selena finished her speech, of which no one was listening to, and professionally flipped open her black GBA. She moved the switch on the side, and the familiar Nintendo screen appeared. After pressing A a couple of times, being impatient, Selena's opal eyes enlarged. After she stared at the screen in disbelief for a few seconds, she snapped the screen shut and turned GBA off with a manicured thumb.

"What's wrong?" Asked Aaron. He had been the only one watching her.

Selena didn't say anything, but opened her GBA again in synch with her eyes. She pressed A quickly, very many times, and when she had stopped, she shrieked.

"I...I...I...IT'S GONE!" She yelled, her voice reaching high into the layers above their hotel suite. "Oh... my... God..."

"_What's_ gone?" Continued Aaron, aggravation growing in his voice.

"GONE!" She hollered again. "IT'S GONE! ALL OF IT!" She flashed her eyes around everywhere, rapidly, as if someone was holding the answer and the solution on a large index card written in bright red Sharpie. Her mouth was ajar, and she was slightly smiling, hoping it was some sort of joke.

"Calm down!" Said Ferah, standing up and grabbing one of her prim, tan shoulders.

"CALM DOWN!?" She breathed a disbelieving laugh. "IT'S GONE! ALL IF IT! ALL THE HOURS! ALL THE SORES! ALL THE EXP! THEY'RE GONE!" Selena yelled at the top of her lungs, her eye sprouting tiny beads of tears.

Ferah had never seen Selena so upset, even when she had been nearly kidnapped. Selena stared at her GBA, and in one, swift move, sent it into the wall. It made a mark inches away from where Kaze's head rested against the wall.

Even Kaze flinched. He got up. "What the –"

Selena suddenly began to cry. She wailed as she dropped onto her thin knees. The fake diamonds on her manicured fingernails gleamed as she brought her long fingers up to her face and sobbed into them.

Dominick fetched the GBA from the other side of the room and tapped over, holding it out for her. The top screen 's ends had been mashed into the bottom, which had deep gouges along its black paint.

Aaron touched her shoulder. "Your... Pokemon game?" He asked.

Selena looked up, black mascara rivers swimming along her previously clean cheeks. She suddenly and very angrily grabbed Aaron's collar and began shaking him violently, his blonde-brown head rattling back and forth with alarming speed.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK!?" She yelled in his face, little bits of lip gloss flecking his forehead. She continued to shout loudly, her hands still around Aaron's t-shirt's collar as his body sunk uselessly to the carpeted floor.

"Are you serious?" Asked Ferah, although Selena didn't have reason to lie to the Team.

Ferah didn't know what she could do for Selena. How do you get someone to give up on a video game? She remembered how hard it was to get Van downstairs for lunch while he was playing the new Final Fantasy game.

In Ferah's left hand was her teacup. She turned to bring it over to Selena, but Selena reached out to attack the GBA from Dominick's hand. Selena shoved the GBA into Dominick in one underestimated move, sending him into shock and slamming him back into Ferah, hot Earlsgray thrown into the air and sparkling all over Aaron and Kaze.

With a thump, Ferah landed on the floor, and Dominick landed on Ferah. He landed squarely on her chest, knocking the air out of her.

The teacup crashed on Kaze's shoe as Selena continued to wail and sob loudly. Aaron finally regained consciousness, awoken from the steaming tea, and tried to pull away. His attempts were to no avail.

There was a knock on the door. For a moment, no one moved. Ferah couldn't breath, Dominick was in shock, Aaron was scared, and Selena was crying. Kaze looked around at everyone's pale faces, and then strode over to the door. He swung it open casually.

An executive peered in, and as the pall of the room recovered, Selena began to cry again, as loud as thunder.

Kaze pulled the door closer as to block the executive's view of the poor princess, but he raised an eyebrow and peered around the corner boldly.

"Uh..." Started Kaze, about to explain.

The executive didn't want to hear it. He had suddenly remembered why he had divorced from his nagging wife and their four teenage boys.

"You're late for the match. The other Player's are waiting for your team down in the lobby." He said, and touched his thin-wire glasses, acknowledging Kaze as Captain.

"Okay, okay, get off!" Yelled Ferah as she shoved Dominick's chubby body of her frail chest. "Let's go." She pushed herself up, flipping her black-brown waves out of her eyes.

Kaze nodded, and lifted his foot a little, sharp, triangular pieces of Ferah's broken cup clinking onto the floor. "We'll be there in a minute." He closed the door before the executive could announce a response.

Ferah got as to come over, but the colors of the room swirling around her caused her to trip. As she flew downward, she instinctively grabbed onto Kaze to hold her up. They both tumbled down, and she banged her head on the table as he grabbed the fireplace's mantle to hold himself up.

He stroked a hand down his face as Ferah clawed her way up via the sofa and his arm. Her bang from the table made her dizzy, but he held her tightly upright.

"We are so uncoordinated." He mumbled to himself. "A crying girl, a blind girl, and an idiot." He said softly, and sighed.

Selena still cried loudly. Kaze decided to take charge as he moved over to Aaron, who was still subdued until Kaze roped his arms around Selena's stomach and pulled her up. She finally let go of Aaron as Kaze carried her out of the room, holding her body horizontally. She was as thin and stiff as a pole.

Aaron linked arms with Ferah, and she had to take his offer willingly and without complaint. With Dominick from behind, she felt honored that they were so genuinely looking out for her. Would it still be this way after they were split up? That was, of course, if she got into a Trinity.

She sighed as she ran her hand down the ivory walls. "For Van."

---

Ferah finally let go of Selena's arm. Selena had not only been guiding her, but pulled her away from the strange homeless on the streets that reached out to Ferah. She was rather unknowing of the world now, and only saw things that gathered her attention, like flamboyant colors or loud noises.

Hirogawa looked mildly pleased at the collection of Players littered across the metal risers. The sun was distant, but it wasn't too cold, and this was the end of the beginning.

"I am glad to see you all again." He nodded. "I must inform you to make this next match your best, because this will be the last of the Team period. The two Teams with the least amount of points will be disqualified. The other three will be separated into Trinities, meaning they will have three Players per team, and will move to their new suites."

A small hush, then a bit of anxiety rolled over the Players. They looked at each other, for the first time, as antagonists.

"So let's make these matches today count. The teams fighting today are..." here he paused, "the Sapphire Team versus the Topaz Team, and the Emerald Team versus the Amethyst Team." He turned around a left to his seating while the Players became hush-hush within their Teams.

Kaze looked over at them, and Ferah could see a faint emotion of sadness passing his face. "Alright." He commanded in a deep tone.

Selena sniffed, and looked up, holding a red GBA in her slim fingers.

"You have another one!?" Ferah asked, squinting a little to make sure what she saw was real.

"I thought you already killed your file." Said Aaron a little insensitively.

"This is my second GBA, and my second Pokemon game file." Said Selena, a little proudly regardless of her previous loss.

"What, how many do you have?" Demanded Ferah.

"I have six GBAs, and six Pokemon cartridges." Selena said, as Kaze and Dominick waited for their little chit-chat to finish.

Aaron almost laughed. "Why!?"

"My family is an extended one, and a lot of them got me GBAs for Christmas. Then, I got four cartridges, because I wanted to play Ruby, as well as Sapphire."

"Three times, for each starter Pokemon." Finished Ferah for her.

"_Can we move on!?"_ Demanded Kaze sharply. Everyone fell silent and expectant, except for Selena, who looked back down into the gleaming back-light of her GBA screen. She hiccupped a little as her tears withered away.

"Alright." His eyes searched the faces of his teammates. "The Captain is Karen "Samus", so we should be able to expect power and projectiles from her. Who else?" He asked Dominick.

"Uh... Pikachu... Sheik, Popo... and Luigi." Said Dominick.

Kaze nodded with the received information. "So this is our last match. If we lose, we will be disqualified, and sent home." He took a breath. "So let's win."

Aaron swallowed and nodded. Selena looked up, and turned her GBA off, and then slipped it into her pocket with ease. She looked at Kaze, who looked at Ferah, until Ferah noticed and smiled sweetly at Dominick.

"Let's go."

They dropped off the risers and onto the grass, then met up with their executive.

As they merged with the Amethyst Team, they found their rivals to be a strange, mis-sorted group of individuals, especially the youngest. She had very frizzy, messy brown-red hair, much less appealing than Karen's. It was tied back in a messy ponytail, and even with a passing glance you could see that her long bangs, quite vibrantly, were green. The girl had oversized, thick glasses, which rim's were twisted and taped. Around her neck and laid onto her flat chest was a necktie.

Aaron noticed something as they walked, between Karen and Bridget. "You guys are wearing the same shirt." He pointed out.

Karen made an aggravated twist of her large but hard face. "They're _both_ my shirts."

"Not anymore!" Chimed Bridget. She spread her arms wide and attempted to be an airplane, running up ahead and jumping off the wooden borders that separated the grass from the trail.

The executive meant to stop her, and hold her still, but she skipped away and off to their battle fray.

A hunched, black figure strode in a fast pace in front of Ferah. She was Tori, the pale, punk girl clad in contrasting clothing and band insignias. With a shiver of the wind, she cringed noticeably. Tori was good looking, of medium-short height. Her blue-black hair had obviously been dyed, and golden roots were beginning to sprout, quite unlike her submissive glances that made her seem dark and cutely evil.

"... like a fucking dog." Mumbled Tori coldly, ignoring whatever restrictions the executive had proposed on language.

Ferah switched glances with Selena as they reached the battle fray.

"Why is she wearing a ­tie?" Whispered Selena.

A boy with black hair behind them picked it up. "It's her dad's." He said, startling the blinded Ferah. "She said it will bring her good luck, and that she will win this tournament." He said it with no air of hatred, like the others, but more so with a tinge of entertainment.

The metal wire gates still rose high, as well as the long silver pole holding the stoplight-resembling lights. Inside the gates was a large, sheer hill of red, sharp rocks, where small patches of grass sprouted on. It was rigid and steep for the most part, other than a small set of wooden, engraved stairs on the right side of the mound, left side for the opposing Amethyst Team.

The teams split up and moved to either side of the fray, and waited as an executive opened up the doors for each of them. Once inside what may have been the smallest fray yet, Ferah and her teammates stepped onto their platforms, as the Amethyst ones were to do.

Kaze cleared his throat and brushed bangs of his eyes. The hill lingered like a dark mountain. Would it be the obstacle that would finish the Emerald Team off? "Fox."

"Link." Said Aaron, as Dominick roared "G-A-W!"

Selena sighed and let the wind caress her cheeks, were there were smudges of mascara. She welcomed the new power that was her royal companion. "Daisy..." She breathed onto the wind.

"Roy!" Ferah seemed to always be last, as she was always making a fuss over something she was wearing. She wished to look nice for the crowd, and maybe even for Roy. But today, with her hair down and her inability to see any small stains or fibers on her shirt, she didn't fuss for long.

He appeared next to her in the whirr of green smoke she had grown used to. She basked in his happy demeanor as he tapped onto his platform with his heavy green boots.

"Hello, 'Swordswoman' Ferah." He chimed lightly, unsheathing the beautiful Sword of Seals and holding it prominently in front of him. The blue-gray sky above reflected onto the white-silver blade and smiled back at the smooth skin of Ferah's perpetually flushed cheeks.

"Hi, Roy." Ferah replied. She pulled back her bangs and laid them behind her ears so she could properly feel the Avatar Band. She stretched her back out a little and rubbed her eyes, trying to readjust to new amount of sunlight coming in.

She heard Kaze sigh a few paces away, gaining the attention of the other teenagers. "This is not a good arena." He glanced at the red mountain for a moment, and then turned back to the Team, his gaze resting on Ferah. "And we have a disadvantage."

Daisy sighed, putting a hand on her cheek. "We started with an advantage." She said in her sweet, singsong, girly voice, recalling the fact that Van's Player profile was in the place of Ferah's. "So I suppose this just makes up for that."

"What? What disadvantage?" Roy felt the presence of alarm and turned to look at her. Nothing seemed different, apart from her hair was down...

Ferah rubbed her eyes again. "I'm having problems with seeing... I lost my contacts..."

Roy couldn't decipher what "contacts" where, but he knew that he had more on his hands today, when Ferah could not see well for herself. "Alright then, be sure to pay attention."

Link nodded gravely. The mound overshadowed even him, at his tall elven height. He pulled out his sword by his famous left hand, whirling it around playfully.

Selena began to complain to Daisy about what had happened to her obviously mega-sized game file, and Daisy was attempting to understand, but the emotions on her face betrayed her. They both looked up at the lights as they flickered from yellow to lime green.

The heat of battle had swallowed up Roy's previously chipper mood. He watched her figure sharply, inspecting anything she had not noticed with her poor sight. His blue eyes rested on her shoes.

"Why are you wearing such shoes as these?" He pointed at the black, small-heeled scandals that Ferah had on with the tip of his blade.

"I don't know. They were just there." She shrugged. "I mustn't been paying attention..."

"4..."

"She's been trying to avoid tripping and running into tables" hissed Dominick. "Give her a break."

Ferah and Roy were both quickly taken aback. Since when did Ferah require Dominick to stand up for her? Ferah felt confused, and held her arms close to her for warmth and security.

"Ahahah, you should have seen her when she ran into the Maid's cart in the hotel hallway..." Laughed Aaron.

Roy turned to the arena and the great mountain that stood before him. Not only would Ferah not be able to see her enemies, but now she was wearing loose, impractical shoes, that would most certainly spell out their demise on the rocks.

"Not funny Aaron!" Ferah couldn't see him perfectly, but she knew his voice and comments well enough.

"...3..."

He would have no issues with other women or girls in his army if they wore shoes like these, but that meant he had to balance Ferah on these. The heels were high, the straps were thin.

"...2..."

"...1...!!"

"SURVIVAL!" The Players' voices were accompanied by their Avatars, and the audience as well.

Roy slammed into her. Her chin was raised and her thin arms slapped back as a result of the sudden synchronization. She grit her teeth as a tingling wave of cold swept through her right arm, the arm of which was slowly beginning to hold the Sword of Seals.

She could feel a strange struggle from Roy, and the process of their morphing was going very slowly. She could already see a black anthropomorphic fox rush forward, not too far ahead of her teammates.

"What's going on?" Roy shouted. He stood with her, but his left arm hadn't synchronized with Ferah yet, as the whirling green wind shimmered through their hair, toggling from red to black.

"Mmm..." whimpered Ferah. Her eyesight was jumping back and forth from Roy's height to her own blurred vision, until their heights finally made an agreement around his. The last parts of their body finally merged, and when she reopened her eyes, they were together.

"Come on!" Yelled Dominick's stick-figure shadow from above. All the Avatars were cluttered along the stairs, being American and too lazy to actually scale the rocky heap that was now viewed as more of an obstacle rather than a scenic figure.

Fists, teeth, and swords locked. Fox swooped down, grabbing a side of the wooden steps as he balanced himself and tore up to the top of the red mountain like a cat bounding. A lavender ninja dashed after him, her thin body twisting like a snake with awkward limbs.

Roy shook his head, vibrant raid hair flipping from side to side and his blue headband drooping across his eyes. "What the..." He said, trying to peer forward. He triggered his eyesight between Ferah's, and then his.

"I lost my right contact, but I have my left one in..." Ferah said, embarrassed.

"What is a... we can talk about this later. Let's go!" He yanked her forward. Her ankle faltered and she almost fell before Roy threw out her leg to straighten her.

"Watch it. There are stones over by your right foot." He said.

Ferah acknowledged and tread carefully through the green and yellow grass, making her way over to the beginning of the stairs. She left trampled grass in her wake.

Before she could take her beginning launch off the first step, she was stopped, and a great metal ice pick swung down, scratching her cheek just every so slightly. It burrowed its tip into the rocky dirt.

Ferah's head snapped back and she swung around, holding the sword out. It slammed against the pick, and as she pushed against it's unusual, half-moon like shape. The blade slid down the arc and she was slowly losing the ability to brace against Jess.

"Would you look at that?" Smiled Jess. "You got taller, and I got shorter. Or even more short." He tried. He had been, originally, a vertically-challenged boy, who made up for his small sense of presence with being the center of attention, full of jokes and funny comments.

In response Ferah smiled. Her eyes continued to flicker back between Jess's warm face and her blade, until the sword had slid so far that she was bent and nearly on the ground. She swooped forward and rolled to the right, sliding her sword away carefully. She scratched one of her knees on the ridged, chalky stones that she had failed to see.

"Careful!" Roy alarmed. "And I'd like you to acknowledge, if we had had my boots on, that wouldn't of gotten through to your skin." Roy watched as a trickle of ghastly sky blue blood slid down Ferah's calf.

"You're warnings were both a little late." Growled Ferah.

Her hair flew as she turned around and their weapons met again. She tried to get up, but couldn't under his weight and the strength of his short and stubby arms.

Like two swordsmen, the two Players and Avatars pressed against each other, the momentum building up in their legs and arms. Popo, however, was beginning to slide backwards. He looked down in fright, and then looked back up at Ferah, try to force a rush of sheer power onto her.

Ferah smiled and started, foot by foot, to get back up. She noticed the scrapes and burrows in the earth underneath Popo's ice boots. The boots were large and very thick, obviously layered in goose feathers and wool padding, like the rest of the ensemble. There were wide, long stitches along the bottom, and great silver spikes seeped from the underside of the sole, piercing soil and clumps of crab grass.

"See, my shoes are good in some instances." Smiled Ferah.

Roy said nothing, and pushed her harder forward, until her face was nearly up against Jess'. Ferah could feel the emphasis of his pick against the Sword of the Seals slowly taper, so she took a bold step forward.

Together Roy and Ferah pressed forward, until she could feel Jess continuously skidding. He looked down, seeing the scratches in the stones and marks in the dirt. The cleats screeched loudly.

Jess stomped backwards, piercing the earth with each full spike on his right foot, until he was rooted. Ferah was unaware of this, and as she pushed and took another step forward, he saw his moment.

Releasing the pick away from the blade, Ferah dropped forward unexpectedly. He let go of the pick for a moment, the tip digging into the earth faithfully. Jess let her fall down to his right.

Ferah made a slight cough, unsure of what had just happened. Jess turned around and held his hands out before him, calling upon his magic.

"_Icicle Onslaught!"_ he yelled, and around him appeared glistening spears of icicles. They shot forward, heading for Ferah.

"Move!" Yelled Roy, recollecting faster than Ferah. She couldn't understand why everything was yellow, green, and brown all of a sudden.

"I..." She stuttered. Roy rolled her away as icicles sliced into the dirt and sent soil flying inches away from her foot.

"Thank you." Breathed Ferah.

"That was close." Said Roy, keeping his eyes on Jess as he caught his breath and backed a little away in the grass.

"_Thundaaaaarbolt!"_ Shouted somebody from atop the mountain in a high-pitched scream, of a child who was deeply out of breath.

"Roy!" Shouted Selena with her eagle eyes, from her drifting position near the plateau of the top of the mountain. Ferah looked up just in time, as a blinding flash lit the arena. The fizzing electricity shot through the air in a jagged spear, heading straight for Ferah.

With a whoosh of brown-black hair and a green armored ensemble, Ferah recklessly threw herself against the side of the mountain. She hit rocks and cut herself, then fell onto her skirted bottom. She rolled over, and the lightning shot downward and struck into her bony ankle.

She cringed from the pain but the center of the attack had been driven a few inches away, and didn't consume her. She tried to get up, and her injured foot buckled, not from her ankle, but from the shoes.

Her foot was on fire, and all but one of the black, fabric straps that held to base of the sandal had snapped.

"What the hell!?" She shouted skyward, to see the beast that had mutilated her dear shoes.

She tore the shoe off, and some of the bands snapped in her rush. Then she brought it up to her lips, and while hopping and balancing on one foot, attempted to blow it out. When it failed to disappear she rubbed it back and forth until the fire doused.

The stitching had disintegrated, and the soft, smooth black material of her shoes either now had scourge holes in it, or where completely snapped off so that she could see the material on the insides of her straps. Sure, with her, Ariel, Brooke, and Jasmine, they could mend it no doubt, but they would never be able to remake its expensive quality.

Whom she could only recognize as Bridget, bright-faced and eyes maliciously sparkling, poked her head over the side of the mountain top. From her fizzy, bunching red and green hair sprouted twin yellow, long ears, tipped in black.

"You little..." She slipped her other shoe off, feeling inequality. Hanging them daintily from her left hand's thin fingers, she dashed barefoot through the grass, past Jess. He stood forward to strike her, but she expected his attack and threw him down when she banged him in the head with the flat part of her blade.

She left him behind in a daze and charged up the stairs, worming her way past Link and a green mirror of Mario. Jess took after her, but was caught up when Aaron lit a bomb.

Ferah had not thought the mound was so high, and suddenly it was like a volcano of which did not emit heat, but painful light. Her body yearned for the little brat that had spoiled her precious scandals, only a minute ago in perfect condition.

An explosion of fire and gas wreathed behind Ferah as she stomped up the mountain, marking an impending doom for her opponent child.

Roy pleaded with her to calm down. "Calm down! What about Popo...? We still need to-"

"No! He's not important." Ferah jumped up the last three steps and breached onto the small platform that was the top of the mountain. Her scandals hung from her forearm as her left hand curled into a fist.

Ferah looked up, and sudden light reflected into her eyes. Above, dark and un-earthly rain clouds hovered menacingly. They threw sultry, shifting shadows along the ground as the bright summer sky attempted to break through. Lights flashed back and forth, and the small patches of grass along the rocks were on fire.

On the far edge of the platform was the source of Ferah's misery. Bridget still smiled, but in the position of a closed fists and bent knees, neck elongated and wrinkled face staring blankly into the sky. Her skin seemed a little yellow, but Ferah assumed it was the lightning or her sight issues that masqueraded her.

Thunder boomed, and the audience cheered. Bridget's lightning zoomed back and forth, striking none existent enemies, barely missing allies, and unmercifully not letting Selena get anywhere close to the platform. Selena and her lacy white umbrella were at the mercy of the wind. Below her, as well, was the violet female ninja again. From her hands she was throwing what seemed to be needles, either so small or so fast that they seemed invisible. In any case, Selena was having a difficult time dodging them.

Kaze, too, was trying to make his way to take out Bridget. He swirled and jumped high, like an autumn leaf in the cool wind. However, waiting for him was Karen "Samus", standing right behind Bridget, the only place on the mountaintop void of Pikachu's lightning.

"Pikachu." Spoke Ferah out loud as she swallowed. She growled, and followed Kaze's action.

"Little brat... my shoe..." Ferah dove into the lightning recklessly, trying to get revenge. Bridget's power suddenly became less strong, but greater in numbers as she attempted to hit Selena, Kaze, and now Ferah.

The air at this level was not at a high altitude, but yet was humid and burnt with the passion of battle. Ferah's sweat matted her bangs and slid into her eyes. She jumped over something and landed hard, a little strain surging through her bare ankles. It was easier now, though, to dance barefoot. She closed the distance between her and Kaze, but kept on the other side of Bridget so they wouldn't run into each other and meet their demise.

The yellow zig-zag lines soared through the air, some shooting like bullets, some hitting rocks and being soaked into the soil. However, after some length of their energy, the lines seemed to _bend_ toward Ferah. She ran and screamed a little as they tore after her.

"What's going on!?" She said. One strong ray was suddenly redirected to her. Ferah's breath was the only thing she heard as she watched the electricity shoot forward, inch-by-inch in slow motion.

Kaze ran forward, and knocked her on the ground. He stood in a crouch, bent over her chest, balanced on his fox toes and fingers. Fox had one hand wrapped around his right forearm, and as he watched the electricity surge toward Ferah, clicked something on his arm.

A blue ray extended a short distance from his wrist and surrounded their two bodies in a close circle. The electricity hit the shield, and disappeared. More lightning quickly followed, like ray-gun bombs.

Kaze breathed, looking down at her. "You're sword is conducting the electricity." He breathed, and then, "Why aren't you wearing your shoes?" He noticed the black scandals on her left arm.

The blue orb shield around them flickered. Ferah had liked this ability, and was sad to see it go. "The sword...? Wait, the shield!"

"Lasts for only a few seconds." He ears flicked back and forth as thunder sounded overhead, shaking the earth beneath them. "So listen up!" He rushed.

Ferah slid her body out from under Kaze so he could straighten his back. "You're sword is conducting energy. It _changes_ its paths. You've got to go near her and direct everything your way."

"Are you insane? She'll kill me!" She paused, and let her anger vent out in her breath. How much air was in the shield, anyway? "You want me to be a sacrifice?"

"If you can't pull it off, yes. But if you want to keep fighting, then I would suggest that when the electricity comes -" He was cut off. The shield flickered one last time and the neon blue disappeared.

The two quickly scattered left and right in a roll and a dive as lightning was sent their way.

Ferah jumped over electricity as it flew past her. Unfortunately, it reared around, drawn to the Sword of Seals, and came back for her.

"Ieeeeeeeeeee!" Screamed Ferah and she ran away from the lighting, the sword clutched in her right hand. It was her plague, yet she was unwilling to part from it, as she knew it was her duty.

Half of the lightning swerved towards her, curving from all sides and threatening to pierce her from all directions. She saw no alternative, she could not go right, or left, or forward, or backwards, and could not run downward. Her only alternative – was up.

Crouching and placing her half-gloved hand on the soil, she looked up.

"Can we pull this... off!?" She mind-spoke, and could not wait for a reply. As the lightning dragons soared to attack, she jumped.

For breathtaking seconds she soared in the air. The dark clouds were breezy and light, but appeared heavy from a distance. The audience was a colorful mix of bystanders, avid video game fans, as well as journalists and TV crews.

Selena floated in the sky, trying hard to avoid the lightning. She picked turnips out of who-knows-where with white gloves, and hurled them at Bridget, but Bridget's tailed body surged with so much electricity it was a shield that was impenetrable. Selena tossed an over-hand, frowning turnip again, and as it hit Bridget's body, deteriorated into a tiny wisp of smoke. She swerved her hips, gliding slightly to the right, as to miss a mirage of needles, followed by a shining whip.

Ferah dropped onto the ground behind Bridget, free of the electricity for however long she could stay directly behind her small, huddle body. She turned around to strike her and finally end the barrage, but Karen had been waiting for her.

They engaged in combat. Ferah placed her left hand, the scandals still dangling from it, on the hilt of the sword to join her right hand. She felt naked without her shoes on, for her legs were now bare up to her thighs.

They sliced and punched, dodged and jumped. Ferah was nimble, still weighted by armor but no longer Roy's clunky shoes. Samus was unable to use her beam cannon at such a close range, and she had worried that if she did, it would reflect off Ferah's armor. Ferah took this as a great advantage and began jabbing her sword forward. In Samus' thick armor, she had difficulty moving around.

Karen's eyes narrowed behind their visor, and she shot her left arm forward. Thick, armored-gauntlet fingers wrapped themselves around Ferah's bare throat.

Ferah coughed along side Roy, and their unmatched breathing cause Ferah's head to ache. Samus hoisted her above her head as Ferah tried to pry her hand from her throat.

Karen pulled her right arm back, and Ferah watched in agony as the cannon at her hand began to light up and pull in the energy of the earth. The glow reflected in Ferah's eyes, and Karen was satisfied.

Roy looked right and left for an answer, and saw what had been seconds ago their opponent become their valuable ally.

"Oh my count..." Started Roy.

"What!?" Gurgled Ferah.

"On my count, JUMP!" Roy's voice rang thick through her bones.

Ferah shot her leg forward and pushed of Karen's chest armor, flinging into the air and flipping backwards. She watched in satisfaction as bright rays of light plummeted into Samus' body, surging through the layers of her armor and breaking the visor of her helmet.

Ferah dropped back down hard, ignoring her ankles, and swooped forward. Roy's brown cape went flying as the Sealed Sword faithfully sliced through Karen.

Her body, now cleanly divided, fell off the edge of the plateau. Little drops of blue liquid slowly followed after, a bit flecked on Ferah's face and gleamed off the blade.

"Sandwich!" Cried Bridget, her voice sheer and toggling as energy still surged from her body.

The electricity did not wait for victory, nor Ferah's wonder of what "sandwich" had to do with anything, and began their search for her sword again. Did Bridget not tire? She knew she would have to stop her and avenge her precious shoes.

"Roy!" Shouted Kaze, from where he danced away from the lightning bolts. He knew to call Roy's name first, because he was more responsive and active than Ferah.

Roy turned to look at the black Fox as he dodged away from a lightning strike.

"You need to re-direct the electricity! I've got to go help Selena!" Thunder boomed, and a bomb by where Link was last seen exploded.

Ferah had forgotten all about Selena. Daisy floated above in the sky, but she had been stricken severely times by the ninja's needles. Her clothes, face, arms, and her umbrella were all cut with millions of little holes, and the ones on Selena's tan body emitted blue data. Now the ninja had a silvery rope around Selena's ankle, and tried to draw her down, but Selena fended off with kicks from her high-heel slippers.

"Right!" Ferah smiled now, now that she understood. She ran closer to Bridget, and the electricity rays were all directed her way as she held her sword strongly in front of her. The electricity surged near to her, but she jumped up every chance it got to corner her.

The closer she got to Bridget, the more electricity was drawn to Ferah and the Sword of Seals. Soon, she had cleared a path for Kaze.

A black fox clad in green dove straight up and punched the ninja in the face. The ninja buckled, but before her agile body could recoil, Fox had turned and sent another massive kick into her stomach. Her eyes narrowed, and Tori looked back in hatred and surprise.

She had no time to respond other than a jab, straight-fingered punch that missed his neck. In one more elegant, skillful move, Kaze had hoisted himself onto Sheik's shoulders.

Feet poised above, wild eyes glaring into Tori's purple-contact eyes, Kaze had poised himself right above her, holding himself up on her shoulders. She breathed onto his face, and knew her fate. She even smiled a little.

Quickly, for he could hold no longer, Kaze flipped down behind her and, with her shoulders still in his furry, half-gloved hands, pulled her down and slammed her body into the side of the mountain. He let go, and not too long later was the satisfying crumble as her body slid down the side of the mountain.

The crowd cheered wildly, and people got up from their seats to chant Kaze's name. He couldn't help but smile, just slightly, but looked back at Ferah, who was still dealing with the electricity.

Ferah was quickly running out of energy, but the knowledge of one last opponent and the audience chanting "EME-RALD EME-RALD EME-RALD, TEAM!" renewed her compassion for the fight.

"One more!" Breathed Selena as she landed on the platform. She and Kaze quickly separated as to dodge the lightning.

"And I need you up in the air once more!" Said Ferah. She ran away from a ray of light and skid under another.

"I can't go on much longer..." Said Roy reluctantly.

"Don't worry, you won't have to." Ferah said as she watched Selena jump and open up her umbrella. She drifted between Bridget and Ferah, and Ferah seized her chance.

Jumping once more both to avoid rays of electricity, as well as further her plan, Ferah swooped up and wrapped her left hand around Selena's foot and swung herself over, and then let go, aiming for the huddled shape of Bridget.

"You little brat!" Roared Ferah. She landed on Bridget and sent her body into the dirt. Wielding her blade downward, she meant to strike Bridget, but she moved once more, although Ferah was able to stab her shoulder.

Ferah felt no remorse, even if Bridget was just a child. She had never babysat, or even met, a child so rude as to _light her shoes on fire._

Bridget screamed like a banshee and tore away. The electricity rays were now gone, and she was free for attack. Link and Dominick did not join them on the platform, but Selena and Kaze were quick to engage in combat.

Kaze sent a flurry of kicks towards Bridget as she nimbly dodged in-between him and Selena. Selena pulled out a tennis racket and whacked Bridget across the face. Bridget was sent flying, but as Fox caught her, swung her around, and threw her up, she recoiled and sent electricity towards Selena. Ferah ran infront of Selena bravely and the electricity was pulled when Ferah skid under it.

Bridget jumped at Fox, and went in to bite with small canines.

"Was that Pikachu or Bridget, just then?" Asked Roy, a little out of breath as Ferah nearly tripped.

Fox slammed his foot into Bridget's stomach, and she flew over to the edge. She flipped, and her yellow paws grabbed onto the edge as her last chance.

"Daddy won't let me lose!" She yelled, and began to howl like a wolf.

"You are _so_ annoying!" Shouted Ferah, and, pulling her broken shoe off her left hard, chucked it at Bridget's face. Her head knocked back at the impact, and she was KO'd before she hit the hillside.

"AND THE WINNER!" Shouted the Announcer.

"EME-RALD! EME-RALD!" Shouted the New York audience.

"THE EMERALD TEAM!"

Ferah, Kaze, and Selena all looked around at the audience. They were wild and excited, like their match was a sports rally. Ferah smiled, and went to fetch her shoe.

"Hey." Breathed Roy. "Good job."

"You too." Said Ferah as she swooped to pick up her shoe. As she was about to separate from Roy, he stopped her.

"Put your shoes on first." He said, holding her still.

"Why, they're bro-"

"Just put them on, and then separate."

Ferah did as she was told, and as Roy disappeared, she felt whole again. Her wounds were healed, the data-blood on her clothes was gone, and ... her shoes were fixed?

She looked over at Roy, who slid the Sword of Seals back into it's scabbard and but his hands behind his red head casually. He looked up at the sky, and could hear members of the audience call his name, too.

"I told you your shoes were no good." He said.

Kaze rubbed through his spiky black hair as Fox separated from him, they shook hands, and Fox made a few friendly jokes, that Kaze was only prone to smile to. Selena and Daisy joined them, however, and giggled.

"Need a guide down?" Roy asked quietly as Ferah beamed at him.

"That would be great, thanks." Ferah took his hand and he went ahead, tugging her from behind and carefully watching where she placed her feet on the steps.

---

"Congratulations! Although the Amethyst / Emerald match took a long time, it was worth the wait!" He stepped back to view the electronic score board.

The board flashed "AMETHYST TEAM VS EMERALD TEAM", and then started with the Amethyst Team T-Chart. Pikachu lost –20 pts for using the same move for most of the length of the match. Samus lost –20 pts for "Cowardice", standing around while Luigi and Popo were having troubles with Link. Sheik did not gain any points, other than cool aerial moves she had pulled in an attempt to get a hold of Selena, even though none of them worked. After losing points for loosing the match, their total was around 30 pts.

Then the board switched to the Emerald Team, their font going from plum color to green. Their T-chart lit up, as did their faces.

Ferah are received a whopping 40 pts for "Elaborate Tactics". Both Ferah and Aaron got a good amount of points for taking out two opponents, although Aaron and Dominick both understood peacefully that Dominick contributed to those wins. Kaze received points for saving Ferah, Selena lost points for not touching down on the plateau to fight Victoria, and Dominick lost points for dying. In the end with their win, the Emerald team received 75 pts.

Selena clapped happily and giggled, forgetting her erased Pokemon file.

"Oh yeah!" Remarked Dominick, and threw up an ebony fist.

Aaron smiled mischievously, and Ferah looked on, not knowing what to expect.

Would these points be enough for them to go on? And if she did... would she have to say goodbye to the friends she had grown to admire so much? There was a chance that she could be in a Trinity with another teammate, but she was sure that they would not take three of a Team and make them a Trinity. She sighed. And if she got past the Trinities, she would be separated Individually. But she would be with her Avatar, Roy, for the entire length of the contest.

And only the contest. No further. Afterwards, she would be gone from memory, and she would never get to see him again.

Hiragana went on to explain the results of the Sapphire / Topaz Team match, and Ferah's sight of the scoreboard went blurry.

---

Selena had helped Ferah back to the room, where they took their showers. Selena had helped put Ferah's hair back into their pigtails, and Ferah was grateful.

As Selena walked off into the girls' room, Ferah dropped onto the couch. She pulled a pillow out from under her back and placed it under her head, hoping that the disinfecting spray was as 99.9 effective as they proposed. "Hey, Dominick, could I use your laptop, one... last... time?"

Dominick looked up. "Yeah, sure. Actually, I should give you my e-mail address. Then you can send me a message, and I can hack whomever's laptop your using."

"Oh yeah. That would be great." Ferah smiled.

Aaron scoffed, doubting Dominick could hack an Elementary school's webpage.

Dominick picked up his black laptop. He passed it over to Ferah, and she sat up, and then placed it on her lap. After she started it up and got on the Internet, she signed onto her E-mail provider.

She opened up Dameon's last e-mail so she knew what to respond, but she paused. The words were running together.

"Anyone want to read this for me?" She asked, looking around.

"I will." Said Kaze. He got up, and strode over. She scoot over and laid against the pillows, and he took the laptop off her lap and placed it on his own.

"_Hey._

_Intensive AI? Sounds exciting._

They seem like a real nice bunch. Enjoy your time with them, because when you are separated into Trinities, I'm sure you'll miss them. (You left your contest handbook at home, and I read it.)

_Van is fine. I didn't tell him that you were having troubles with Roy. Raven actually came back. Aunty seems to think that he ran away to find Van, and took some forest path. He's been sitting by Van's side rather faithfully. Makes me want to write a book, or at least read one._

_I got a job for the Sacramento Daily. I'm the new meteorologist. The original one retired. He's been working for the paper for thirty-nine years, so I've got some major shoes to fill._

_Aunty was driving drunk last night, and she almost got into an accident. It makes me appreciate life more...but it also make me worry. I hope you never leave me._

_- DRF"_

Kaze read it fast, and his voice was bland, but he got the job done. "Can you type?" He asked.

Ferah flushed a little. "Oh... well, I don't spend a lot of time with computer, I touch-type, and I don't think I can see the keys well enough..."

"I'll do it." Said Kaze simply. He opened up a new, blank e-mail.

Ferah put her finger to her mouth and began. "Sorry it took me so long to respond!"

"It's that time, now, to change into Trinities. I suppose that's my way of telling you that my Team got pass the first period... but now we're separating. I'm sad to see everyone go. I felt like we were a family, and I was so proud to fight alongside them. At least, right now, I have Roy. I had to say goodbye to a good friend, though, for she was disqualified."

Everyone was listening. Selena, a towel wrapped up in her dripping hair, paused in the doorway as Ferah spoke out loud.

"I hope to go the whole length with this contest thing, In Van's sake. I can only imagine how proud he will be if he... lasts long enough to know I won.

"I do have a little problem, though. We were fighting in water, and I lost one of my contacts. You can imagine how blind I am without even one contact, so I've been tripping and depending on the Emerald Team, as well as Roy, for support. That would be great if you could call the Eye Clinic and order me another pair of contacts, as well as send it here. A pack of cat food would be greatly appreciated, too!

I'm glad you got the job. You deserve it! Better than minimum wage, I hope. And how is Van doing? Tell him about the contest. He'll be so proud."

"And sign it FMF." Finished Ferah. Her eyes were closed, and although she couldn't see everyone, she knew it was too quiet for them to be doing something else. The TV was even on MUTE, and she could hear it humming gently.

"Sent." Said Kaze, and he gave the laptop back to Ferah.

She signed out of her e-mail, and put it back on its place at the table. At least, that was where it had stayed through the length of that week, but next week it would be somewhere else, as well as the rest of them.

Selena took a seat next to Ferah, and Ferah rested her head against her shoulder, feeling the roughness of Selena's bath robe.

"I feel sort of bad, to be honest." Said Selena, breaking the silence. Instinctively, Aaron turned the TV off MUTE.

"Why's that?' Asked Dominick.

"Cause of Bridget. She-"

"You're kidding me!" Said Ferah.

"Yeah, she was really, really annoying..." Mumbled Aaron. "More annoying that Melanie..." he said, thinking of his little sister. Suddenly, he felt a little homesick.

"She said her tie would help her win. That it was her Dad's. I just feel a little bad that we proved her Dad wrong."

Kaze looked up. His lips, nor his eyes, would never show much emotion. "Her father, if he is Ruben Hampson, is a criminal."

Aaron was taking aback. "Who? Hampson? Is that Bridget's last name?"

"How did you know Hampson was Bridget's last name?" Asked Dominick, finding a new awe in his Captain, Kaze.

"Ruben Hampson was in the news for lighting several colleges on fire. And the last name Hampson was on the label of Bridget's right rain-boot, flipped out so it was visible." Kaze nodded.

Ferah and Selena both beamed at him, unbeknownst to each other.

---

Ferah took a seat at the Emerald Team table. The Players were all collected in the original conference room that they had been assigned in. But today, it didn't have an air of excited, talkative teenagers, but more the pall of kids having to go home from Disneyland.

The feel of the gray room was eerie. No one wanted to their teammates, and no one wanted to be disqualified. But it had to be done. The contest would go on.

Ferah looked at Kaze. He was distracted, looking at his hands, or other Teams, or sometimes just the table. She felt like she really should thank him for helping her with her e-mail, because it might have been some great strain for him to be so nice.

"It has come time that we disperse some of our Teams, the two Teams with the lowest score. Those two teams will be asked to pack up immediately, and to meet in the Lobby to be escorted back to the airport." He nodded. "In order from the most points to the least points follows..." Hirogawa stepped back, and his Assistant stepped forward.

"With 375 points... the Sapphire Team!"

The Sapphire Players did not look incredibly relieved. Ferah sensed that they knew they had all along the best chance at winning. There was no doubt, however, that their skill was clean and coordinated. They had beaten the Emerald Team, not incredibly easily, but with Trent, it had been a massive strain for Ferah.

"Coming in second is the Ruby Team, with 355 points!"

The Ruby Team had also previously defeated the Emerald Team. Ferah didn't know if it was fair though, for it been their first match. Ferah wondered now, if they had a rematch between the Teams, who would win? She wasn't glad to see the flirty and smug Cassandra was moving on, either.

Kaze finally looked up across the table. Everyone was unsettled in their seats. "We would know what rank we were in if someone kept track of the scores..."

"Too late." Said Aaron. He was watching Ferah's hands, which were shaking ever so slightly.

"And coming in third, a close tie with fourth place.... With 285 points.... The Emerald Team!"

A huge breath of release escaped the mouths of each member of the Emerald Team. Ferah was excited, and Selena began to smile and laugh again. But before the group could talk and say their good-byes, Hirogawa had to finish.

"The Amethyst Team and the Topaz Team have been disqualified. You will each receive a new GBADS, and three games of your choice."

_The Topaz Team_! Ferah had completely forgotten. And how could she?

The members scattered and ran up to each other, engaging in hugs and laughter and talking and friendly-punching. As Dominick moved into the circle to talk, Ferah rushed past him and into the Topaz Team's group.

Alice took her glasses off, holding them by the rims and rubbing her left eye with a slim finger. When she put them back on, she saw Ferah, her hair down, her eyes deep.

"Hi." Said Alice sweetly. "I haven't seen you in a while. But I did see your match. Good work!"

"You're... going now." Said Ferah, quietly. "I'm so sorry..." She walked forward, and they hugged each other.

With Alice's chin on Ferah's shoulder, Ferah pat her back softly.

Alice closed her eyes. "You guys deserved to win. I'm really happy for you."

"I wish you could be with me. That would have been great if we were in the same Trinity together." Ferah stopped. Talking of what-ifs would not help the situation. "I'll give you my e-mail address."

"I'll give you mine, too, then." Alice sighed, and a small bead of tear started in the corner of her eyes. "And we can talk. Don't forget me, okay?"

"I won't forget you." The girls separated from each other. Ferah could feel a lump in her throat. It was so easy to forget someone who lived in a different state on another side of the country, who you only saw for a week, and probably would never again.

Alice shook her head. It was inevitable to talk about. "Saria will forget me. And Plui, and Mido. I'm going to miss them. If you get to see them around – tell them I love them. I'll visit Kokiri one last time before I pack up."

"I'll tell them." Said Ferah. Somebody from her Team called Ferah's name. Ferah smiled, and Alice smiled, and they departed from the comfort of each other's companionship.

Ferah rejoined with the Emerald Team, to see Selena with her arms linked around Kaze's neck. Kaze was confused, and merely patted the small of her back for a few seconds, but she wouldn't let go.

For a brief moment, Ferah felt a rush of sudden, competitive jealousy, but was quickly distracted by Aaron, who was always a little jealous when things like that happened to a guy other than himself.

"So, this is goodbye." Said Aaron, smiling. The overhead lights made his blonde hair gleam. "You're a good Player, and a good person, too." He said, jokingly, as if being a good person came second.

Dominick came and said his goodbyes, and Selena gave Ferah a big hug.

"It's not as if we won't see each other." Said Ferah, trying to get some air from Selena's defeating hug. However strong she was, though, they were nothing like Damoen's hugs, of which Ferah had been longing for lately.

Kaze stepped forward. "The next time we will, it will be on the battlefield."

Ferah smiled at Kaze. They were about to say something to each other, but neither of them knew what that something was.

"Alright. If we could have the teammates of the Topaz Team and the Amethyst Team step aside to the right wall..." They separated and stood where all of them had first stood when they first came to New York.

The numbers of the Players seemed suddenly very small. Only fifteen of them remained, standing huddled in their clicks, afraid to leave each other's sides. They all had the same question on their minds. _Will we still be friends?_ Not everyone had the perfect Team, but they had all grown close.

"... then we can begin separating into Trinities. Also, there are no Captains" some kids made quiet moans, "but Rival points do apply." Hirogawa nodded, stepped back again, and allowing his Assistant to step forward.

"In the Lion Trinity! Alex "Falco", Aaron "Link", and Selena "Daisy!"

Aaron looked very pleased to have Selena in his group. Selena did look slightly relieved, although curious as to what type of partner the vagrant Alex would turn out to be. They waved goodbye to Dominick, Ferah, and Kaze, and walked together through the crowd. They met up with Alex in the front of the room.

"In the Tiger Trinity! Ryan "Mario", Amanda "Ruto", and Kaze "Fox!"

Ryan and Amanda met up in the corner. Amanda turned around, millions of golden braids spiraling as she turned around to search for Kaze.

Kaze smiled slowly. "Good bye." He said to Ferah. His smile quickly disappeared as he walked away. Ferah felt empty without her Captain to tell her how to be better, and what to do.

"In the Cheetah Trinity! Cassandra "Zelda", Katrina "Crystal", and Mischa "Peach"!"

Mischa met with the other two. They all looked pleased to have members of the same sex, although they know it may have disadvantages too.

Cassandra looked confident, feeling that her name being called first was not a coincidence, but due to her royal personality and fighting abilities.

"In the Panther Trinity! Madison "Dragonair", Nick "Kirby", and Dominick "Mr. Game and Watch"!"

Ferah was the last one. Dominick looked at her. "You're cool." He said. "I'll see you later."

"I'll see you in the battle fray. Don't disappoint me!"

Ferah suddenly felt weak. They were gone. And she was alone, or at the time being. As he walked into the crowd, he turned around and looked back at Ferah. "I'm hungry." He whined, and disappeared.

As other Players swallowed him in, Ferah rubbed her eyes. Everyone swirled in deep blurs of color. She turned, and sought a face at the wall for comfort. She could see Claire "Nana", a sweet girl, sobbing slightly into the hand of her pro-team mate, Stephanie "Jigglypuff". Ferah kept searching until she saw Alice, smiling at her, and Ferah smiled back. She put her hands back into her pockets. In the mass of people, she could not see who was left, for no one was sitting.

"And last but not least, the Lynx Trinity! Cameron "Charizard", Trent "Marth", and Ferah "Roy"!"

Ferah could hardly believe her luck. In the same Trinity with Trent? Cameron seemed to feel the same way. They were both from the Sapphire Team, and so had previous experience fighting alongside each other. Ferah tapped over to join them, and almost tripped, but Kaze nearby caught her by the arm.

Trent had fidgeted to, as to catch Ferah, but Kaze had been faster. One had quick reflects, and the other was a gentleman. As Hirogawa began talking again, Kaze and Trent were staring boldly at each other as Ferah held herself up and greeted Cameron.

"We will be separating into new suites tonight, so I suggest you pack up your things as soon as possible. Meet in the 2nd floor hallway near the elevators to find your rooms."

XXX

Special Thanx to my Editor, XaNGrrR.

Ja matta!


	8. Cello Minuet

_Konnichiwa._

_Zealous Goanna: Thanks! Was that message pre-made, though? o.O  
__Hollowed Shame: Yes, how the plot doth thicken!  
__Xiao-Darkcloud: I know! I was rereading the chapters, and I suddenly got really sad when they had to split up… Hm… I really like Kaze.  
__Basiliskwings: Kaze? A butt? Lol!  
__Daikoran: Heh! Maybe for a little while, but I'm back! Kaze is the coolest! And Link! Yeah, he's crazy!_

_I'm back, and have officially mapped out eight more chapters! You know? I thought then that it was pretty lame, but now I kinda like it… I find things more justified, now. Anyway, I stopped writing Survival! because people didn't like my characters… But guess what! Ferah isn't the perfect candidate for being Roy's Player, because she's normal. She's clingy, a little arrogant, doesn't like video games, and is only doing this for her brother! Okay? And I like Kaze! I think he's cool! I've found that I don't like Stephen King books, though, so maybe I'll go back and change what books he's reading. Tom Clancy FTW? I also like Trent. He's based off a real guy. A really hot guy. Anyway, yes, I think Trent has the right to be a little bit cocky, I mean, he is the best contestant, isn't he? OR IS HE?_

_And I'm sorry you hate him, Adriana Dimitriov. XP_

_NOTE(S):  
__- I do not own SSBM, or Fire Emblem, or any other video game (besides the cartridges).  
__- I do, however, own all the Players (I.E.: Ferah, Kaze, Trent, or Selena).  
__- Earlier, when I said that Roy told his servants to prepare for "Lady Lilina and Lord Hector's arrival"? Well, I didn't know, but he… hm… dies. Sorry.  
__- And when I said that the Amethyst and Topaz Teams were disqualified… That doesn't make any sense. They just lost. And they got "GBADSes", which also doesn't make sense. It's just "DSes". Sorry.  
__- Did I give Ferah the same e-mail from her brother twice? When I reread, I thought I did… Dejavu…  
__- Also, did I say in one of those e-mails that one of Ferah's friends was disqualified? How did she know that so early? I'm sorry, my last few chapters have been very jumbled!_

XXX  
Chapter Eight: Cello Minuet  
XXX

"The Sword of Seals isn't for _jabbing._" Said Roy dismissively.

Ferah and Roy walked the halls of Pharae as busy maids holding platters of food or soldiers late for training dashed past them, their swords clicking irritably against their shiny armor. Side by side, the young swordswoman and the to-be Lord of Pharae made soft clacking noises as they walked the length of his beautiful castle, conversing lightly.

"That is the fourth time you've brought that up." Frowned Ferah. "I know it isn't for jabbing, but it just seems to work better that way. I've gotten alotta kills like that."

"But you used slicing to duel against Lord Marth, and he's your real enemy." Continued Roy, looking at the tapestries of the Great Scourging on the stone walls.

"But I didn't win." Continued Ferah. She was being stubborn, because she didn't really think technique mattered as much as getting it done, but she was also enjoying this simple squabble with her partner.

"There are different sorts of swords." Said Roy, ignoring the matter. "A rapier is what you need. The Sword of Seals is a double-sided blade. It's used for slicing, and burning, sort of." He replied.

"…A rapier?"

"I'll have to show you some time." Roy agreed.

"Anyway, why is it that I can't get it to burn? Selena told me your sword is supposed to light my enemies on fire, but that hasn't happened yet. When Kirby copied us, he couldn't do it either" She said, looking at the golden blade hanging at the small of Roy's back.

While she and Roy had belonged to the Emerald Team, his armor had been green, gold, and brown. Now that they were in the Lynx Trinity and there were no respective colors, his armor had gone blue and the inside of his cape a bold red that matched his hair.

Ferah missed the Emerald Team.

Roy fixed his mouth and stopped as they came towards a stained-glass window. It threw vibrant colors and sunlight on the cold marble floor as dust particles danced in the air. He walked over to it and then drew the blade from his back. "See this?" He asked, rotating the double-edged blade and making it gleam elegantly in the colorful sun.

There was a large, circular ruby in the middle of the golden hilt and it's blue wings. It was bright and polished neatly, but as Ferah narrowed her eyes, she could almost see a legendary battle taking place inside of it.

"The reason other people couldn't claim this sword was because of this. It's called the Fire Emblem. It's a symbol that signifies the king of Elibe, this continent. A princess gave it to me, and it's what I used to unlock it, hence it is no longer sealed." He paused. "I'm not sure if that has anything to do with why you can't wield it, but that's at least why others couldn't."

Ferah frowned. "I don't think that's it." She said, and joined him leaning on the edge of the stone windowsill. "Just because it doesn't know me? Would the game be that extensive, making it so that no Player could wield the sword properly? I think there's something wrong with _me_."

_Whatever it is,_ thought Ferah, _I'll bet anything that Van wouldn't have to deal with it._

"I once met a dragon…" Began Roy, wondering if Ferah had ever encountered one herself. "…that told me the story of this blade. A warrior called Heartmut used it to seal away the Dark Dragon Idoun. But the man pitied the dragon, for he had seen her in her human form as nothing but a little girl. And because the sword reacts to the wielder's heart, he did not kill it, but only caused it to loose consciousness."

"I do not pity my enemies." It was something else.

Their conversation ended. Ferah tried to make out figures beyond the glass. When she realized something bright red was approaching, she sighed. A few taps on the window and a vivacious smile from Roy sent the Player on her way home.

---

Miss Fell was the first Player to reach the Lynx Trinity's hotel room. She opened it slowly with the newly acquired golden key and looked around. It was smaller than the suite she had stayed in before. Now, it was just one bedroom, a bathroom, and one leisure room. Suddenly realizing that she would be sleeping with two other boys in the room, she blushed, but felt rather lonely.

Sliding her chief luggage bag into the room with her foot, she closed the door behind her and let Snow Fern out of her gym bag. The cat that was no longer a kitten bounded out, not liking the confines of her bag at all, and began sniffing the nearest wall.

After investigating the bedroom Ferah found that it was rather small, with one desk, a six-shelved drawer, and two king-sized beds. She claimed the furthest bed by tossing her purse onto it. Absentmindedly staring at the same floral designs on her bed cover as the one she had in the Emerald Suite, she remembered Selena's white teddy bear, with it's royal blue ribbon, and her black GBA SP, before she had thrown it into the wall.

What had happened to her Pokemon file? It probably just suffered from a glitch. _It was too bad it had to happen to Selena, of all people, though_, thought Ferah. _Maybe she played it too much?_

Ferah's pigtails slid as she turned to look at the other bed. Was Trent really on her team? _I'm so lucky._ She thought to herself. But she'd have to be at her best for him at all times. Ah, such was the burden of a girl.

Carefully, she began unloading her clothing into one of the drawer shelves. Fern soundlessly strode over to her and rubbed on her hip, purring.

There was some scratching and rattling at the door, and then she heard it open. Still refolding a chic sweater, she looked up. "Charizard." She noted, remembering his brutality and mocking comments during her match with the Sapphire Team.

"Hey, it's the cross-dresser." Cameron "Charizard" said, grinning. When she didn't giggle back girlishly, he ruffled his hair. He hadn't put the gel through it this morning, and therefore his spikes were just silky strains of blue-tipped gold. "Hey... We're teammates now. I was just playing with you, you know. We were enemies then. But you were good, I was surprised, honest."

"Yeah, whatever." Said Ferah, letting up good-naturedly. "But Roy wants me to tell you to never take his sword again. You know, I don't have any other weapons." She picked a strand of white fur off a black cardigan.

"Did he really? That scares me." Remarked he, amused. He dumped his bags next the wall and pulled off his black backpack. "Huh, what's this?" He said, as Snow Fern emerged from under Ferah's bed and tiptoed over to investigate him.

"You weren't the first to take it from us." She watched Cameron as he brushed Fern's thick white fur back and forth like he would a dog, uneducated in the way of cats. With a sudden breath of nostalgia, she missed Aaron deeply, knowing he would sneeze at this exact instant.

"Well you're no scaredy cat." He smiled, talking to Snowy as he crouched down to see her properly.

"Hah, I didn't think you were such a rebel." Remarked the boy to Ferah as Snow Fern made some deep growling noises. "Sneaking a pet into a hotel like this."

Ferah finished the transporting of her clothes and scooped the kitten up. It stopped it's crazy growling and began kneading in Ferah's lacey, aqua-colored blouse. She wore white pants and black boots, her hair up in buns tied with white ribbons. The lip-gloss she had bought with the Emerald Team was warm inside her pocket.

"I have a name. It's _Ferah_." She said irritably.

The door swung open once again. Ferah suddenly felt a rush of heat, and then felt the impending insecurity of a foreigner who didn't speak the Sapphire Team language.

"Well, hello Ferah." Sang Trent Williams affably. He gave the door a kick from behind and it slowly locked closed. Putting the New York Times on the coffee table, he smiled at her genially.

"Here we are once again, Trent." Said Cameron in a casual welcome. Feeling uncomfortable, Ferah she sat down on her decided bed with confidence and placed Snow Fern on her lap. She went into a ball of white fur and closed its eyes.

Trent was wearing a nice, forest green track jacket over his white t-shirt. As he laid his bags on the desk, he held a half-eaten, shiny apple in his hand. And on his back was what appeared to be a very large, obscure, silver guitar case.

"Aha, I had forgotten about that." Said Cameron as he took out his Player's necklace and pulled it over his head. His hair fell back into place in front of his eyes. After giving the necklace's stretchy material a sharp snap, he flicked his head to the right, trying to get it out of his eyes.

"That… What is it?" Asked Ferah. It wouldn't have been easier to identify if she had had her other contact in because she wasn't a musically gifted person, so she remained meek.

With a clunk, Trent took the case off his back and laid it carefully against the wall. It might have been heavy, but Trent's posture was always upright and straight. "It's a cello." Said Trent proudly, almost to himself, as he looked at it lovingly. Ferah thought it cute that one so determined and victorious as he was so attached to wood, but there was always something passionate about musicians that she liked.

"Oh, wait!" Said Ferah, snapping her fingers. "Did you play that a lot at night? Like, around midnight?"

Trent nodded as he went through his bag for his laptop. "Yes, that was me. After the UberSSBM competition, I have a week until a major audition… Turns out that's in New York, too. Well, did you enjoy it? It was movement five, the minuet, of Bach's Cello Suite number one, in G Major."

Ferah put her chin in her palm. There appeared nothing Trent couldn't do, and she couldn't help but fall for him. "Yeah, it was really beautiful. It helped me sleep." She paused. "Anyway, I've claimed this bed for myself." Her green eyes searched the two boys, one taller and one shorter but bother taller than she, for any opposition.

---

Trying not to look down, Ferah took another step on her way across the bridge. There was no railing, and the wood planks were thin and spread out, as well as only held together by two ropes. She held out her arms, trying to balance herself, as her wavy dark hair fell over her eyes. Without using her hands, she blew breath upward to get it out of her vision. She felt lucky that vision issues were one of the few things that didn't register in UberSSBM, and her sight was 20/20 here.

"Come on!" Called Saria, smiling. Ferah couldn't help but smile back. Saria really had the prettiest smile. It seemed as if Saria, regardless her bright green hair and obstructive, pointy elf ears, was more human than anybody else Ferah had met. Reaching the large stone platform that marked the end of her balancing act, Alice helped her onto the ledge.

Ferah felt the cool, fresh wind of the forest blow past her as she stood up straight. From here, she could see the entire Kokiri Village, and the Great Deku Tree far ahead of them. Everything around her was a warm green and brown. Elves as short as Saria wandered around below her, talking, playing, and working. Plui, Saria's fairy, struck ringing bell chords as it swirled around the three of them, laying down a glow on the winds.

"It's so beautiful…" Said Alice. She had taken off her wide glasses and was now holding them in her hands. "I'm going to miss this, and the both of you, so much…" She was crying again.

Saria, too, had started to weep silently. She still smiled, though. "It's only been a week, and already I knew you're my best friend. It's too bad you have to leave, really." She giggled, in spite of herself.

Ferah was hush, saddened, but still took notice of Saria's A.I. at work. It wasn't artificial intelligence, was it, really? This was too much. Saria was too human. The forest was too beautiful. She cupped her fingers over her mouth and closed her eyes.

After Alice said her final farewell to the Forest Sage and made Ferah promise to visit Saria as often as she could, the two Players clicked their necklace's chip boxes to the left and disappeared.

---

Before the losing Players were to be picked up and taken to the airport, a picnic was held for all of them at Lily Water Park, where their previous matches had taken place. While there were citizens, fans, and paparazzi scattered about, the Players had taken to ignoring them. There was a game of tackle football going on in the grass expansion, where Bruce "Bowser"'s team was leading by a long shot.

"This is completely unfair!" Shouted Scott "Luigi" as Aaron took him down from behind.

The two girls woke up, back to back. Ferah got up first and stretched. "It felt like we spent a good 45 minutes in there, but it's was only 25." She said, checking her red cellphone.

"If I could bring the game and Saria home with me, I'd do my homework in Kokiri." Alice smiled.

Cassandra strode by them, ignoring them completely. She took off her flat brown cap angrily, her gold-brown hair askew, but she didn't seem to notice. "Alright, that's _it_!" She yelled at the boys, cupping her hand with her mouth. "You guys suck! I'm playing too!"

Stephanie "Jigglypuff" had obviously decided this was a good time to flirt with some boys before she had to leave, and stood beside her. The burly Karen "Samus" was always up for physical competitions, so she stood up as well, as if she were being personally addressed.

Even Tori "Shiek", the punk-clad Player with no reason to care about anything at anytime stood up, abandoning the coloring in of her nails with black Sharpie. "I want to play." She said simply, in her monotonous voice. The golden roots showing under her dyed black hair was even more noticeable in the gleaming sun.

"Whatever." Said Nick "Kirby", smiling. "You guys can play, too. But let's just play without Bruce, okay?" He crossed his arms on his chest.

"That's not fair." Grunted Bruce as he tucked the leather-skin football under one of his thick, hairy arms. It had been in his possession the entire game, as nobody had gotten it away from him.

"You two playin'?" Asked the tall Selena as she walked over to Alice and Ferah, who were sitting on the bench of a wooden picnic table, under a shelter. She wore her golden hair in a high ponytail, and the layered tips fell on the back of her neck. The beautiful Hispanic wore a white halter-top and some black capris. It was sunny today, and Selena couldn't help but want to wear something more summer fitting, regardless of her mishap last week.

"You play?" Responded Ferah. "You always have surprises for me, don't you?"

Selena laughed as she readjusted a metal clip in her hair. "Ehehehe… Anyway, are you guys in or out?"

"I'm in if you are." Chimed Alice to Ferah. "And as long as Bruce is on our side. I'd hate to have him tackle me."

"Then we're in!" Said Ferah loudly, so the other girls would hear her. The three joined the assortment of other female players on the field.

The afternoon sun was pleasantly warm and the summer breezes that blew down from the cloudless sky were refreshing. As usual, the Players were incredibly competitive, which made the day's games even better. They had eventually worked out that the game would be girls versus guys, but the girls would get Bruce on their team. Aaron decided he wanted to be on the girl's team too, and when Selena got down in her crouch next to Karen "Samus" to receive the ball, he slapped her ass. This threw the self-appointed leader Cassandra's play out of whack, but they won anyway.

Ferah ran forward and tackled Eric to the earth. The dark-skinned, black haired boy laughed at her attempt as he fell onto the grass beneath her, rolled her off, and went on. Getting back up and flipping her wavy locks out of her eyes, she noticed some photographers in the distance. Jess "Popo", the male half of the Ice Climbers' Players, was also filming them with his small camera. She waved, and he waved back, adding a narrative.

Tori jumped up and caught the football and a score was made. Ferah laughed as Dominick tripped and collided with Cameron "Charizard". Now that the players were all at one end of the field, Ferah realized how many of them were not actually out there. Where were they? _This is fun,_ she thought. _They shouldn't miss this._ She wasn't into sports herself, but she did enjoy a good game, and it was in honor of the procession of the competition.

Shading her eyes and looking around the park from her position on the field, she saw Trent watching the game from the shade of a large, brightly green tree. On his right sat the lovely Madison "Dragonair", and they were obviously arguing. While the pale-faced girl was getting a little red, Trent kept his peaceful demeanor.

Who else was missing? Ferah looked at the benches spread along the path. Where was Kaze?_ It's completely like him to be anti-social,_ she thought.

"I'm taking five." She said to Cassandra, who suddenly had to reconfigure her game plan.

Ferah walked out into the surrounding woods. Not far off, Kaze sat in the grass. It had been obvious he had come to read, but had abandoned his book. The black clothes he had usually worn were now traded for a t-shirt and cargo pants. His head was laid against the warm rock he was sitting next to. His glasses were sliding off his nose and his eyes were peacefully closed.

Slowly and quietly, took a seat on the rock next to him. However, he still woke up, as if he were synchronized with the sensitive Fox McCloud.

"Why don't you come join us?" She asked, looking down at the small pond below. It wasn't incredibly wide, but she figured it was deep, as cattails and tall grass were growing out of it. She heard a frog splash into the water somewhere far off.

She made sure she didn't place her footing too close to the edge, in case her lack of depth perception caused something hazardous to happen. Then again, with Kaze by her side, she always felt safe.

"I'm fine here." He said shortly. He took off his small reading glasses and placed them in his pant's pocket.

"Would you mind having somebody to talk to?" Ferah continued, probably pushing it, she figured. When he didn't respond, she continued. "I'm glad our team made the cut." She felt she owed him this much.

She was pleased to see a slight smile form on his lips. "Yes. That was barely, though. It was tough… You did a good job."

_Finally._ She thought. _He has something nice to say to me._

There was some movement behind them, and they took their attention away from their reflections in the water below to look behind them. Jess, the short, brown-haired boy, was walking toward them, his camera in hand. The camera's LCD screen open, he didn't take his eyes off it. "Hi Emeralds." He said friendly-like, and waved at them through his screen.

"I thought you might want to see this before I left. …You know, my loss against you guys was mostly you." He said, eyeing Ferah through the camera. Ferah recalled their match. Ice pick against blade, she hadn't really been concentrating on their duel. "Anyway, I've already showed a lot of people this, so it's payback."

He leaned over Ferah's shoulder and rotated the screen of the camera so that she could see, and Kaze straightened up so he could see too.

Ferah had no idea what it could have been, and wondered if she should elbow Jess in the stomach before it even began. But he didn't look mad, just amused.

After she watched herself, in Roy's clothing, jump up from a tree stump and feebly try to wrangle the Sword of Seals away from Charizard's orange claws, only to see a close-up of the now-visible light blue underwear visible from under her white skirt, she didn't blush, but instead grabbed Jess' head and put it into a headlock.

"You jerk!" She shrieked. She took the camera from his hands and began pressing buttons, trying ineffectively to delete the footage.

Kaze, on the other hand, did blush, but only watched as Jess yanked his camera out of Ferah's hands.

"Be careful!" Warned Jess, but he laughed as he spoke. "You might drop it."

Ferah covered her eyes with her hands, laughing to herself, as the footage played over and over again. "Good! You suck, Jess."

"I said it was payback, right?" He closed the camera screen and pulled its strap up onto his arm and put his hands in his pockets. "I've been filming the entire UberSSBM contest, until this point." He sighed, and his frown faded. "Yup. Don't tell Hirogawa, but I'll be putting it on the Internet." He laughed as Ferah glared at him. "Too bad it's over, now. Maybe I'll give it to Cameron…"

Ferah checked the cover of her flip cellphone. "The picnic ends in an hour. You guys want to go play football?"

Kaze pushed off the rock to get up, and stretched absentmindedly. Jess continued looking at his camera. Suddenly, Ferah had an idea. "Jess, want to film one last thing?" She asked, and got up.

Ready to go, he flipped it open and pressed play. "Sure, swordschick, whatever you've got."

With that and the thoughts "I hope my ex sees this", Ferah grabbed Kaze's shirt and planted one lipgloss-coated kiss on his lips.

Jess laughed, and then turned the camera on himself. "So ends the Emerald Team!" He reported. Ferah let go of the pink-cheeked Kaze and wandered back with Jess to the football game.

When they returned, it was utter pandemonium. Apparently, when Bridget "Pikachu" had tried to join the game, some of the guys wouldn't let her because she would probably bite them. Bridget decided this was completely irrational and unfair, especially since they let Claire "Nana" play, and she was only 10 years old. They argued that Claire wasn't teething, but the unstable redhead had instead called out her Pikachu, and therefore the Avatars were now on the field.

Clan McCloud's Falco was now high above ground with the ball, as both Aaron and Alice shot arrows at him, Aaron's on fire and Alice's sparkling green. These always missed, and rained down on everybody else. Princess Peach's dress was now on fire, and Stephanie "Jigglypuff" was hard at work trying to get it out. Mario was now getting a running start onto a boost into the air that Mr. Game and Watch and Luigi had set up for him, and Cassandra "Zelda" was trying to teleport up to him. Every time she got close, he just flew away, and she fell back down to earth. Katrina "Crystal" had taken it upon herself to try and help catch her, but was never strong enough. And when Eric "Ness" had fully primed his psychic ability, the entire field exploded in purple electricity.

---

After lunch at a nice restaurant, the losing Players departed. Jess had insisted on a kiss like Ferah had given Kaze, so she gave him one on the cheek, which he made sure to film. She said her final farewell to Alice and an apology to Bridget. Bridget, who was inconsistently sane, had seemed to have completely forgotten who this Ferah "Roy" was and insisted that she showed her her driver's license immediately.

One or two eyes wet, the Trinities were assembled at an incredibly large and seemingly new indoor soccer arena. This time there were no pre-made arenas with purposely annoying physical obstacles, or risers of which for them to sit upon. This time, there were just chairs. The large, steel chairs with red cushioning were set up in two circles, each with six. Above each circle there were wide, four-sided monitors with the SSBM logo on them, waiting.

Taking a deep breath, Ferah began her contemplation of how many ways playing in a virtual world could screw her over.

Selena, who had been making sure Ferah didn't trip on anything, stood next to her. Ferah looked up at her to exchange glances with, but she was staring onward. When she noticed Ferah was looking at her, she laughed, and unclenched her ringed fists. "I want to win." She said, as if it were that simple. Ferah nodded. That was what they were there for, after all, even if she thought she deserved to win more than anybody else. Why you were there didn't matter – it was how you fought while you were that did.

"I didn't think indoor soccer arenas had risers." Said Ferah softly as she sat down on one. She had changed into skirt – she was conscious of it as her legs touched the cold steel. She had figured that the other girls must have this problem as well so a few panty shots couldn't have been that much of deal.

"It's nice." Commented Trent, as he sat down on her right. He looked around. The ceiling was high and the green field was wide, but the chairs were what were doing the foreboding. He didn't look too worried, but instead watched the audience sections overfilling, pleased. Those who could not find seats were now standing against the walls and looking through the glass.

"Some dorks would never come to a sports field otherwise." Joked Cameron as he sat down on her left. She wondered how the three of them would perform, feeling a little bad that they didn't bother to train beforehand. Then again, nobody else had, so hopefully it wouldn't be a problem.

"Let me begin…" voiced Hirogawa, quieting the chatter as usual. His voice was deep and with very little accent. His round, dark face appeared on the eight screens. "…with congratulating the fifteen Players in the middle-left stands for making it this far. I have been especially pleased with their performance, and so far the premier of UberSSBM has done very well. I also thank the audience for joining us here today."

"Do they charge them?" Asked Cameron of Trent.

"Now, may I introduce you to the Orlen Ridgewood Soccer Arena!" The spectators cheered loudly, clapping and yelling and whooping. Players blushed and waved as the camera focused on their faces and necks.

The cameras returned to Hirogawa as he addressed the Players once again. "Your newly-assembled Trinities have been made randomly, as are who will be fighting who and which levels these matches will take place upon today. Because there are five Trinities, only four will be fighting today. The other has another night to prepare. Now, if we can go over the rules again… The first Trinity to force the other into submission, in example traps them, causes them to forfeit, or knocks them out, will win the match. In the case of a tie, the last Players standing will receive fifteen minutes to heal and or to discuss with his or her partners what to do next. After the match, points will be totaled up, depending on your performance, such as technique of fighting, advantages taken, and relationships with both your fellow Players and your Avatar." Ferah felt like he was looking at her, although she could barely see him in his position in the middle of the field. Some fans could be looking at her too, if they had been watching the progression of UberSSBM from the beginning.

"These points will be displayed here. In combination with the amount of matches you win, these points will determine the two teams that will go home. The other three, however will continue on in this contest." He looked pleased and relieved that the contest had gotten this far. "And so. The Trinities fighting today will be… The Lion Trinity versus the Tiger Trinity, …"

Ferah bit her lower lip. Selena, Aaron, and Kaze were all in that match. She didn't want to see them fight each other; it would be too awkward, and almost… sad. Anyway, she didn't have a choice.

"…and the Panther Trinity versus the Lynx Trinity!"

And more cheering ensued. Selena and Ferah gave each other a hug, but didn't whisper soft "good "luck"s in each other's ears. They were too concerned with themselves, and knew as well that someday they would be enemies too.

"That there is the Lion Trinity, and that's the Tigers, so that must be the Panthers." Labeled Cameron, cocking his head with a quick snap, getting his bangs out of his eyes again. While Trent wondered if it might be an obstruction, Ferah cursed.

"Dominick's on that team." She thought out loud.

"And we're not going to think about that." Trent decided. He placed his hands on her shoulders and began directing her through a gate and into the soccer arena. Cameron followed after.

"No, I know, it's just that…" She stopped talking. She didn't want him to think her weak. But Dominick… He just wasn't that strong. She had spent so much time helping him. Was she just going to shatter it all now? With a pursing of her glossed lips, she sat down in one of the large chairs under the two screens displaying LYNX TEAM.

The red cushions were plush and the low angle of the backing was comfortable, but Ferah was not. She thought about Dominick and the giant monitors above her that would show her at least 16.6 of the time. Taking a deep breath, she closed her lips and pulled her pale skirt lower so that it would cover her knees.

Cameron and Trent took a seat in their respective chairs. Turning his head over to the side, Cameron sent a friendly smile Ferah's way. She mechanically looked over at Trent. He was looking up at the ceiling, calm. His dark black curls were laid messily over his cheeks and ears. Then he closed his eyes.

Mr. Hirogawa's voice rang out again as the two four-screened monitors made a series of synchronized, fast beeping noises, until both slowed down and a bell tolled. "Match A will take place in the Great Fox." He said, and people cheered. Ferah was getting sick of their giddiness, literally. "And Match B will take place on Mt. Moon."

Two of Mr. Hirogawa's assistants arrived at the circle and connected cords with each Player's necklaces, and, as the crowd hushed, with an adaptor in the middle of them all. Ferah crammed her eyes shut.

---

There was a void. A dark void, and it was lonely, but she was not alone. Some distance away to her right was Cameron, and on her left, Trent. She felt their warmth and knew that they, too, felt the invisible rush of wind, water, and fire run through their bodies. She store downward as they descended, their breath and heartbeats loud.

Their time in the air was shorter than she thought it would be. It usually took her a few minutes to arrive at Pharae, but this time, stars appeared and did not fade, and suddenly there was a giant gray spaceship underneath them. She saw a red imprint on the top fin; a winged fox, and underneath, the word "STARFOX".

Then she wondered. _What if Roy is busy?_

She meant to touch down on the steel with her boot tip, but she went straight through and landed in the Command Room of the Great Fox.

"Ahaha, awesome!" Said Cameron as breath returned to him. He looked around. The room was dark, and everything was a shade of metallic blue. The three stood around a circular visual display machine, and bright screens displaying statistics, maps, and information surrounded them. The entire ship whirred gently.

Standing solid in the shadows, Ferah could hardly see Trent's eyes under his dark hair. He looked around, too, and then smiled. "We're being watched."

Ferah was suddenly alert. "We are?" She revolved around, searching for some sort of floating camera. All that met her eyes was what was visible from their windows; the Lylat System, dark, beautiful, and vast.

"We have to be." Agreed Cameron, as a deep voice bellowed "5…" throughout the ship.

"Let's begin, shall we?" Trent said in a jovial manner.

Tall, handsome, and especially dark in the room, Marth appeared on Trent's right with a quick whirr of sparkling blue smoke. He adjusted one of his gloves and looked around. "A very strange battlefield we have found ourselves in." He said as he adjusted the layers of his robe with a petite hand.

"4…

Cameron nodded and gave a flick of his hair. He held his right hand out, and in it appeared a ball, half red, half white. He tossed it up with an immediate energy. "Let's go! CHARIZARD!" He yelled, which disrupted Marth's serenity and ultimately the eerie quietude of the Great Fox.

Ferah unwillingly let out a yelp and suddenly found the room very small as a great orange dragon emerged in a flash of red. The Fire Pokemon was at least two times her size. It flew as far as it could above them, lighting the room with a small pod of fire on its tail. With an awakening flick of it's wings and ivory claws, it let out a roar louder than Cameron's summoning.

"3…"

"Roy!" Ferah held out her hand. She kept her eyes open and was incredibly pleased to see that the smoke that appeared whenever Roy arrived was still a deep emerald green. The Lord's figure appeared, short in height but with the confidence of a determined warrior. Lightly taking his hand off hers, he drew the Sealed Sword.

"2…"

"Wow." He looked around uncomfortably, a little offset. The room wasn't exactly inviting, but Ferah thought it was cool.

"We can barely fly in here." Grumbled Cameron. "What a waste of ability…"

"Good afternoon, Roy. And Cameron, you're lucky you can do so many things." Murmured Ferah. "I only have one ability, and I can't even get that one to work completely."

Roy looked at her. His spiky red bangs shadowed his face, but she could see him smile. "We're skilled enough to deal without it."

Ferah knew he had just been hanging out with Lady Lilina of Ostia.

"…One-"

"SURVIVAL!"

Roy snapped into her like a rubber band in slow motion. She felt her bangs being raised off her forehead and the tight boots folded down to her knees. She couldn't ignore the sudden weight of Roy's armor, either, as her shoulders drooped. And as if someone had poured liquid into the shell that was her body, Roy's warmth and mind were inside her. When she opened her now-blue eyes after the darkness of their synchronization had disappeared, she saw Trent in his nearly god-like form and Cameron, hair still in his eyes, with scaly wings, claws, and dragon ears.

Touching a sharp, gleaming tooth that poked out uncomfortably from his upper lip, Cameron wondered what it would be like to eat something as a Charizard.

"Let's go!" Said Trent, smiling as the adrenaline of the game beat throughout him. They took to the only entrance out and were in the dark hallway.

"Would it hurt to turn the lights on?" Said Ferah, feeling the walls for some sort of button, to no gain. The halls were considerably tight, and the three had positioned into a single file. There was a fork in the path and Trent, who found himself unintentionally in the lead, decided to go right. Ferah wanted to follow behind him and stay in the middle, but Cameron took her spot.

"Don't be a coward." He laughed.

"I am _not._" She said, and she knew Roy said it with her.

"Look, you're a close range fighter, and I'm both. If someone approaches us from behind, you'll be able to defends us, and if you need help, I could too." He gave her a pat on the back.

Ferah suddenly felt the hair at the back of head stand on edge.

"Shh, you two." Said Trent in a loud whisper. The two obediently fell quiet, and everything was still, besides the flicker of Charizard's tail on the black walls, the flutter of Marth's cape, and the clacking of Roy's boots on the grate flooring.

"…Fuck." Voiced Cameron with shock, after a very long time of wandering. Trent knew that they had no idea where they were going or what to do and could do nothing but give direction. Now, however, he was ready.

He stopped suddenly and pushed them back, so that they were behind a sharp corner. In front of them was a path that crossed theirs. "What do you hear, Cam?" He asked, wrapping his cloak around his sword as he drew it so it was muted, and straining his eyes to see through the obscurity in front of him. When Cameron offered the light of his tail, he pushed him back, and repeated the question.

"Beeps. Lots of them. 'Could be just a computer. I just freaked, that's all. It was so quiet earlier." He closed his eyes. "Yes, it's very faint. Oh. They stopped."

"Heh." Said Marth, and he backed them up further. "Ferah, we can assume that nobody is behind you. Turn around, and cover up Charizard's light."

Ferah blushed, for she had been walking nearly completely backwards for the entire match so far. She had tripped and fell onto Cameron several times, which completely embarrassed both her and Roy. It only got worse when Cameron had said he didn't "like other guy's like that" and she had proceeded to slam her boot into his dragon stomach. At one point, his tail had also lit her skirt on fire.

"Don't put it out." Warned Cameron with a hiss.

She cupped her hands around it, and all went dark.

Roy said, "Don't be afraid." And she was not.

Everyone's breath was loud, especially Charizard's, which also smelt like old clothes and small, dead animals. Ferah coughed. Marth continued to push Cameron back and into Ferah. The two had backed up, very slowly, so there was a gap in between them and Trent. Then, suddenly, he swung his blade back and lunged forward. The Falchion flashed, and something beeped irritably and loudly.

Marth disappeared into the shadows, and Ferah heard him slam into the wall and his blade ring as it clacked onto the floor. Trent was suddenly coughing deeply, and Ferah could feel something thick and disgusting clog her throat. She too began to cough, and grabbed the wall for balance as the picture of the orange dragon swirled in front of her.

Charizard pulled his tail out from Ferah's half-gloved hands and dove into the path ahead of them. Everything was alight again but suddenly the light turned extreme, and everything was hot. Cameron's voice literally pierced the darkness. "FLAMETHROWER!"

Roy threw up his arms just in time to cover Ferah's face as her cape opened and she flew backwards. The entire hallway exploded.

Electricity from wires and machinery fizzed and roared, and the grate that had held them up collapsed. Ferah didn't know what happened until she landed on the level below after the others with another heavy thud. Her forearms burnt, Ferah steadied herself and looked around.

Cameron had his sharp, thick claws around some black blob… It was a cartoon, maybe…

"Dominick!"

She thought she saw him smile in his 2D blackness, but she wasn't sure. She wanted to pull him away from Charizard, but she knew she shouldn't, and didn't have much of a choice anyway.

"Behind you, Ferah!" Yelled Trent as he got up and tried to run to her.

But something already had its hands on her shoulders. She was yanked up with a great amount of force, and after the breath-slow views of the shadowed chaos above after Mr. Game and Watch's gas and Charizard's flames had mixed, she was slammed into the ground. Her face was slapped hard and the wind knocked out of her. She felt the armor under her chest crack and fall apart. Her bruised knees knocked as she tried to push herself up.

Marth flew past her and pinned Nick "Kirby" against a wall. His sword drawn, he meant to stab him, but Kirby rolled out from underneath him and floated up into the air. He drew a star-adorned hammer from who-knows-where and, after letting his air go, came down on Marth. Expertly, he crouched and rolled over to Ferah. Grabbing the layers of cloak around her neck, he pulled her up and tore around the corner.

Ferah slammed into the wall, but her back didn't hurt nearly as much as her chest did. She coughed a little again from both Kirby's attack and Mr. Game and Watch's bug gas.

"Are you alright?" He asked, catching his breath. He face and entire torso was burnt.

"I'm fine." Coughed Ferah. She touched her chest. Roy's armor was half gone, and there was a large amount of that bright, blue-white liquid of zeros and ones she had learned was blood streamed down it. She flicked it off her hand and followed Trent's blue curls as he ran back around the corner.

There were now two Charizards; one in the air, and one on the ground. If part of Kirby's technique had been to confuse the other Lynxes, he had failed, because it was obvious from who was being teamed up against who was who. Cameron was using his wings to cover his face as Madison "Dragonair" sent an "Icicle Blizzard" his way. Daggers of ice threatened to pierce his leathery skin.Her blue dress sparkled, regardless of their being no light to reflect off it.

Next, Cameron took a severe hit from Dominick's roulette of random moves, titled "Judgment". He had received the electricity sentence of #5, and down came the hammer. Cameron was too out of breath to fight back.

Shaking it off, Charizard roared and tucked in his head, then lunged forward with a Skull Bash.

Marth ran over to Cameron and turned his back to Mr. Game and Watch, blocking the injured Player from another hit. It was naught but cartoon bacon, but it would have been enough to KO the failing Cameron.

"Fudge." Breathed Dominick. "That ain't what I was tryin to do!" Then he noticed Ferah. "Are you…" He paused, and noticed Marth was going for him. He knew his place. "…hungry?" Angling his pan, he jumped up above Ferah, avoiding the Falchion, and brought down his frying pan.

Ferah jumped to the side as he landed on the ground with a booming click. Mr. Game and Watch made some angered and disappointed beeps as Roy regained his balance and drew his sword. "Good night." Ferah said, softly in the dark, like a sister tucking in her baby brother. In went the thin, broad blade of the Sealed Sword. Dominick turned gray and collapsed.

_See? Stabs win._ Thought Ferah.

Roy shook his head. _You could have done that with a slash, too._

Whatever… 

Marth now had his hands full with both the mirror Charizard and Madison's Dragonair. Ferah pulled herself off the ground with rejuvenated force and readied her sword. She joined him at his left, trying to protect Cameron from their claws and lightning. But they had the higher ground, so to speak, and neither Marth nor Roy could fly. Carefully, Cameron tried to contribute to the long-distance fight by sending flame their way, but it was to no avail.

"Pick him up! We need to move! We can't last like this." Spoke Marth as he used Counter to deflect a downward claw slash from Madison and her opera gloves.

But Ferah had no time, as Nick suddenly made a lunge for her. He had his talons around her neck as he picked her up off the ground in a second. Taking a deep breath, he began filling his dragon lungs. The copycat was ready to blast her straight in the face and send her out, but she was faster. Her blade slid straight through Charizard's bony arms, and her neck was saved.

_See? The slashing technique was very effective._

I could of K.O.'d him if I stabbed him, I think… Darn it! Ferah thought regretfully. 

_You paid your respect to the sword._ Replied Roy. _That's important too._

Ferah sighed.

The ship echoed with the Pokemon's pain as it roared and whimpered, backing away from her. Ferah ripped the butchered claws off her throat and went back into a defensive stance. The real Charizard, however, who had waited for this moment, suddenly sprang into the air and tackled Nick into the far wall. His tail had swung madly behind him, and his sheer weight had taken Madison down with him too, and soon he had both on the floor and the room alit.

Trent and Ferah both knew that that was Cameron's last move for the game. They also recognized that regardless of how many points a lost Player cost them, he had bought them time. The two swordsmen took off through a dark hallway.

Neither stopped to look behind them, running as fast as they could. Their footsteps were loud. Without Charizard's flame, the two were blind. Marth, who was faster than Roy, took the lead once again, and ran his hands down both sides of the walls, trying to figure out where the next turn was.

Suddenly, Marth stopped, and Ferah slammed in to him.

She mumbled an apology as she made out Marth's hands searching the wall. "A dead end?" She breathed. Then she turned his back to him, sword drawn, waiting for the enemy to emerge.

"No, a door." He found what he was looking for, and pressed a large button. A short gush of wind blew around their feet and their hair as a large, thick door slid open, not to the right or left, but around and up. The door was large, thick, and circular, and bright lights caused Ferah to cover her eyes. Trent found her arm and pulled her in. The door whirled close behind them.

She was surprised to hear her partner chuckling softly, but as she uncovered her eyes and got up from the floor where had fell, she couldn't believe their luck either.

There had found the artillery room.

---

"One more hit and I'm totally KO'd." Ferah noted as she picked up some sort of bazooka. It was thicker than her head and bright red. It had the Clan McCloud logo on it.

"I think with two or three general ones or one well done smash should do me in." Trent paused in consideration, and then adjusted his sheathed sword at his side. "That one's for taking out Arwings. I don't think we'll need it."

"It wouldn't hurt. And… Ah, what's an Arwing?" Ferah pulled her red hair behind her ears, and picked up a small rifle, trying out the trigger as she shot the floor.

Trent watched her idly. "I don't recommend you do that. You remember how weak the floor is."

"This place is a mad house." Said Ferah. She really didn't want to go back out into the darkness. There appeared to be no other light than in this room, and when they opened the door, Nick and Madison would probably know where they were.

"Well, here's for luck." She kissed her right-hand gun, Roy being right-handed, and watched her lip gloss print disappear.

Trent smiled his good-natured smile, and placed his hand on the button, when large crashing noises, what sounded like explosions, and screeching tore through the room. The lights went out.

"_Dammit._" Said Ferah, who decided that that night, she would convince the guys to let her sleep with the lights on.

Trent disappeared into the darkness and Ferah gripped the handle of her guns hard. She thought she could feel Roy's thoughts crashing into her own.

_There, there it is._

_I don't think so. _

_What is that? It's there again. _

_Is it behind us? _

_Perhaps it's ahead._

"3…" Whispered Trent.

"2…" Murmured Ferah.

Trent slammed his empty fist through button panel and into the wall. The doors slowly parted, turned, and got stuck halfway. Ferah was glad that they did as two pairs of bright, yellow lasers suddenly pierced the darkness. Roy hit the deck as the lasers barely missed Ferah's pigtails.

"_THAT'S_ AN ARWING." Shouted Trent as he whirled through the seizure-causing-esque rays of gold, jumped over the half-open, half-closed steel doors, and onto the white nose of the Arwing.

"And I thought we were lucky." Muttered Roy with their face pressed to the cold ground.

It dipped forward from the sudden weight and fired again, but Roy was quick enough to roll Ferah away from its contact point. She pushed herself up off the ground and, dropping the time bombs and long rifles she had acquired earlier, followed after him.

Running along it, Marth dropped his guns and drew his Falchion. Raising the blade, he struck the yellow-tinted windows of the cockpit, catching Nick "Kirby", who had resumed his own face, out in the meantime. He pulled his paled carcass out as he jumped into the Arwing, lasers from elsewhere nearly finding his head. The cockpit door closed automatically. Backing up and breaking the wall obstructing his way, the blue and white jet-like ship turned and returned fire.

Ferah didn't know what to do, but as she saw it slowly rotate she knew she jumped onto his right hand wing. The Arwing dipped slightly, so she moved closer and stood, panting, against the blue of the Arwing's booster. When she saw Madison's Arwing in front of her, she knew she had good use for that bazooka.

Firing back at the Arwing, Trent accelerating, retracing the path of destruction Nick had used to get the Arwing inside the Great Fox. Ferah narrowly avoided lasers as they destroyed everything behind her, and could see Trent's hot lasers in return, showering her view with bright sparks.

Getting off her stomach and finding her balance as Trent slowed, Ferah heaved the large barrel up onto her shoulder. She didn't know what would happen, but she closed one, her red hair flopping over her headband, and prepared for impact. With a full fist, she pulled the trigger. The amount of strength and energy it took just to fire the damn thing threw her backwards and nearly off the Arwing's thin wing. She grabbed on just before falling, and the bazooka turned upwards, so that it missed. Ferah's attack had accomplished one thing however, the two Lynxes realized happily. Trent nodded to Ferah as the enemy Arwing suddenly turned around as quickly as it could, clipping it's own nose, and took off in the direction it came.

The bright blue boosters caused Ferah to cover her face as Trent opened his cockpit. Carefully, she jumped into it, landing on him in the cramped space as the door closed on top of her. He moved aside so she could sit more properly.

"Want to drive?" He asked politely as he accelerated and followed Madison through the labyrinth of destruction.

"Nah, not really." She laughed, and readjusted the bazooka so she could move her arm into a more comfortable position.

Screeching and slamming into things, Ferah feared the Arwing might be considerably damaged when they got out, but Trent had had no choice. They finally emerged in the launching pad room, and the Arwing could properly hold the length of its wings. Trent took a deep breath.

"Can we shoot it from here?" Asked Ferah, hoping they could stay in the safe cove.

"Unlikely." Trent opened the cockpit as shards of cracked glass showered their heads. He looked around. "Dammit, no other Arwings." He sighed, trying to think of a plan.

Ferah stood up silently, and yanked her right arm up, pulling the heavy bazooka up with her. "I'll stay in here. Lead her this way, and I'll shoot her through the doorway." She didn't mean to be a coward, and Trent understood.

The boy considered, and decided that it was a smart move. "Alright. Just make sure you know which Arwing is ours."

Ferah laughed. "It's the one with my blood all over the wings."

Taking a deep breath and holding it in his chest, the damaged Arwing picked up speed as it glided off its platform, lights flashing, and emerged into space.

It was brighter out here than it was inside the hallways Great Fox, but it was cold. Trent's breathing was unsteady as the crack in his cockpit slowly let his air out. He tried to make out his enemy in his screens of the dark expansion, but his alarm system had been damaged and couldn't assist him.

Ferah pulled Roy's gold-tipped collar up to her ears as she crouched down in the middle of the Arwing launching pad. The depth of space she saw outside made her feel as if the Great Fox would suddenly tilt and dump her into it.

She heaved the bazooka up onto her shoulder, almost losing balance. Where was it…?

_I shouldn't be able to breathe._ Ferah thought in the silence.

_I wonder if Lilina is looking for me._ Thought Roy.

Trent's Arwing didn't wander far from the launching pad. He was determined to kill the enemy, but he wanted to keep Ferah alive too, and if Madison found him, at least Ferah could shoot her. He tried changing the views of his camera and tested out the Arwing's booster for a short moment. It had an energy bar. He frowned. That was no good - it was nearly used up.

Behind him, Madison's Arwing came in quietly. Her alarm system had been damaged too, but she had spotted him before he had spotted her. She prepared to fire.

Still trying to figure out exactly how the controls worked, Trent messed around with the joystick in front of him and changing some options. While he was tinkering with it, he went backwards, and his tail slammed into Madison. She fired, and it grazed his Arwing's under side.

Ferah nearly lost her balance as the Great Fox rumbled. "Trent!" She shouted, knowing he had found her, or she had found him.

Red lights flashed throughout the cockpit. Trent slammed on the acceleration and took off, trying to get away from her. How did he turn the damn thing around? He pushed the joystick to the right gently. The Arwing turned suddenly but gracefully, cutting through space like a knife.

Slightly sick, Trent spoke out loud. "That works."

Ferah noticed Trent take off and the Madison's Arwing come down from above her and glide begin dissapearing quickly. Closing her left eye, Ferah focused and shot, trying to get her before she got too far away.

Ferah fell backwards as the missile flew out into space. It found its mark as Madison's right booster exploded.

"Yes!" Said Ferah out loud, but it had not enough.

Unfortunately for her, Madison had decided that Ferah's bazooka was more dangerous than Trent, for it was specialized in Arwing destruction and could shoot further. Shoving the joystick forward, her Arwing suddenly shot upward, curved downward, and turned over while dodging Trent's lasers.

Ferah stumbled back into firing position and took aim again. Madison began firing, and the Great Fox rumbled. Some paneling from the ceiling crashed down on Ferah's right. Yanking back her right arm, another missile launched. Madison was able to avoid it, but fell into some of Trent's lasers as he took after her. Even with her busted booster, she still had had a head start.

Again, she rolled herself up off the metal floor and pulled the bazooka up onto her now bruised shoulder. This time, however, she couldn't pull the trigger.

"Ferah!"

In a second, Ferah was down. Her figure paled as she let go of her bazooka and slid onto the ground.

Trent let out a sigh and shook his head, trying to get his curls out of his eyes. The flashing red on his screens had disappeared, but he knew his Arwing was about to explode at any minute, just like in the real Star Fox games.

Madison turned around one more time, sure her job with Ferah was done. She had known it was unfair to plot an Arwing against an infantry unit, but she had had no choice. Now, it was just she against Trent.

"Hi, Trent." She said after her picture appeared on his screen.

"What a pretty horn you've got, hm?" He said, and she didn't know if he was being his usual friendly self, or he was seriously mad at her for taking out his partners.

She puffed her cheeks. "See? I never know if you're kidding or not. Now do you really have a girlfriend or not?" She demanded, referring to their heated conversation in the park.

Trent laughed. "No, I don't. Now, let's go."

With a white-gloved hand, Madison fixed her long hair behind her ears.

Trent took a deep breath. He could hardly breath now, and the crack in his cockpit's window was only getting bigger. He looked at his screen.

An Arwing's booster could only last for a certain amount of time, and his was almost completely depleted after he had chased Madison during her pursuit of Roy.

"To fight to the end." Said Marth and Trent steadily.

He saw Madison coming straight at him, and could feel an impending doom. This, however, would not scare him.

Holding down the trigger and watching the stats of his boost energy, he complied with the technique and shot forward as well, firing in a steady stream. Trent was more concerned with taking Madison out first and foremost than keeping himself alive. When the Arwings were only a couple feet apart and the red alarm lights flashing in his cockpit became insane, Trent took one hand off the controls and touched the cockpit release button gently. Feeling the fire of the jet's wings scourge his arms and shoulders, he slammed the booster on.

"WINNER! THE LYNX TRINITY!"

One second had passed between Madison's K.O. and Trent's.

The crowd roared insanely, jumping up from their stands and yelling out as if America had won another war. The entire arena shook and the monitors went fuzzy for moments that lasted like hours.

Cameron had taken out Ferah's cord himself, and now helped her up. It was several minutes before Trent let the assistant pull him to, but when he did, the crowd cheered for him.

"TRENT WILLIAMS! TRENT WILLIAMS!"

"So much for keeping last names covert…" Mumbled the assistant to himself as he watched the fifteen-year-old boy sit up in his chair. His forehead was slightly wet with sweat and he looked around, almost in a daze. Slowly he remembered where he was and why, and smiled to himself as he stood up. He ruffled his curls modestly as the monitor switched between "WINNER: LYNX TEAM" and his face.

Ferah found herself in his arms before she could think of anything else. Cameron laughed and slapped Trent hard on the back so that he lost his balance. Cameron followed up by grabbing his neck and messed up his hair. All three of them on the floor, Ferah didn't notice that her hair was very messed up, or her lipgloss had run dry. They had won.

Getting up off each other, the three Lynxes walked into the space in between the circle of chairs, where the Panther Trinity was waiting. Dominick didn't look too hurt, but Nick looked defeated, and Madison looked purely furious. She composed herself in time for the camera to see, and put on her model's expressionless face. Her pale hand extended, she searched Trent's face, mortified inside.

He shook it without thought. "Good work out there. It looked like you'd been flying one of those all your life."

"I just finished Driver's Ed." She stammered. "It's sort of like driving a car, just with missiles." She paused.

Ferah got to Dominick before anyone else could. Picking up his small body up and enfolding him in her arms, she nearly strangled him. If she was embarrassing him, he didn't care.

"Ferah!" He laughed. "We lost."

"You were great, though. You dueled Trent, and you freaked me out with that gas and the pan. I thought you were going to K.O. me."

"Really?"

"Yeah!"

Switching partners, Ferah and Nick quickly shook hands, as did she with Madison.

"That was _crazy._ Nice maneuvering."

Madison looked behind her at Trent, who was talking to Nick about the ingenious utilization of Arwings. "He didn't do it all by himself, you know."

Following her partners, she joined them and the Panther Trinity on the risers previously belonging to the Players. Their points were being totaled up. The Lynx Trinity's t-chart appeared first. Cameron received 40 points for "Elaborate Tactics", in play when his fire and Mr. Game and Watch's gas mixed and blew up the entire level. He also gained points for sacrificing himself for the good of the team, but lost 50 for dying. Trent and Ferah both received 15 points for guarding Cameron while he was injured, and 30 for fighting alongside each other. Ferah lost 50 for dying, but like for Cameron, Trent did not hold it against her. With their winnings of 100 points, heir overall total was 130.

The Panther Trinity's T-chart didn't display anything interesting. Bravery points were awarded for splitting themselves up so they could cover more ground or trap their opponents, although it hadn't worked out right, and their strange use of Arwings got them some creativity points. They lost 100 points for losing. Their overall total was 50 points.

Match B was still going on. As the monitors flickered through images of the six Players, Ferah wondered about what the audience thought of her.

Kaze, Selena, Alex "Falco", and Ryan "Mario" were already down for the count. Ferah watched as Aaron crawled, flat against the dirt on a high platform. Below him, the fish woman Amanda "Ruto" took careful steps in the dirt, looking forward and behind her for some sign of her last enemy. She was on edge; scared of noises she had made herself.

Members of the crowd spoke out while the rest were eerily quiet.

"Look above you!"

"Watch out!"

"Quick!"

His favorite item in hand, Aaron's pre-lit bomb came crashing down as Ruto shrieked a high pitch call.

"WINNER! THE LION TRINITY!"

Ferah smiled, and wondered how Kaze and Selena had gone down. "Good job, guys." She said softly, mostly to herself.

XXX

_Trent's piece, Movement 5 of Bach's Cello Suite No. 1, is a real song. I had to pick it out myself so it was an actual minuet, to fit this chapter's title, and that it was a lovely piece that Ferah could fall asleep to. As a musician myself, I suggest you check it out, so you get a feel for Trent, maybe. It's short._

_Well, I hope this works out well. It's hard picking up on a story and seeing everything wrong with it but not being able to alter it. Well, kisses for all ye._

_No editing this time, so thanks to me, because this was my birthday present for myself._

_Luv, Rainstorm Sonata_


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